Haveri (Karnataka) [India], July 11 : Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Basavaraj Bommai on Friday asked the Congress high command to clarify whether Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will remain in power for five years. He said the ongoing drama will continue as long as the Congress high command does not give clarity.
Responding to a question about Siddaramaiah's remarks that he would be the CM for five years, during a press conference, Bommai said that as many times as Siddaramaiah says that he will remain for five years, the question about his continuation arises.
"Whoever can speak on this issue is silent," the former Karnataka Chief Minister said, adding, "Even if Siddaramaiah continues, that is all. The administration should not be allowed to deteriorate."
Casting doubts over the claims made by CM and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar, Bommai said, "Some people are saying that he will not stay for five years. Who should give the final verdict on this? Why has the high command not said that he will continue? No one is ready to believe what the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister say, the high command demanded that it should clarify this."
Flagging the issue of non-payment to contractual employees in the state government, Bommai said that the Karnataka government does not have money to pay salaries to contract employees. He added that outsourced employees in various departments, including the Health Department, are being paid one month's salary once every three to four months.
The former Chief Minister further demanded that the state government supply seeds and fertilisers, given the increasing demand for urea fertiliser.
"Due to good pre-monsoon and monsoon rains in the state, sowing has been done in large quantities. There is a demand for urea fertiliser. Fertiliser is not being supplied. There is a huge need for urea. It is the duty of the Agriculture Department to supply seeds and fertilisers as per the demand of the farmers. The Agriculture Department is working without any forethought," Bommai said.
After making it clear recently that 'I will continue as the CM for five years', Siddaramaiah yet again dismissed speculation about a change in the state's leadership, asserting that there has been no discussion with the Congress high command about the change.
"How many times do I tell you, it (speculations around Karnataka CM post) was not discussed at all? This issue was not discussed at all with the high command," Siddaramaiah said on Friday.
Siddramaiah, who is in Delhi, met with Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge along with other senior party leaders on Thursday, fanning the speculation over a possible CM change in Karnataka.