Davanagere: As election is over, now party leaders are calculating the win and defeats. It is known fact that KPCC Chief D. K. Shivakumar and Opposition Party leader Siddaramaiah are in CM’s race. But now one more Senior Congress Lingayat Leader announced that he is also in Chief Minister’s race if Lingayat MLAs won in large numbers.
Speaking to mediapersons on May 11 he said that if the highest number of Lingayat candidates in the Congress wins in the Assembly elections, I will be the Chief Ministerial candidate, said 92-year-old Senior Leader Shamanur Shivashankarappa.
He said that Congress will win more than 140 seats in the state. He said that more seats will go to Congress even after NDTV survey. In addition to that, Shivashankarappa said that if Lingayat candidates win in large numbers in the Congress, he will claim the post of Chief Minister.
“We should see how many Lingayats have won after counting. If majority Lingayats will win this time from Congress, we will exercise the right of a Lingayat CM,” he asserted.
He said If the Congress Government does not get the majority of the seats, they will form an alliance with the JD (S). If the Congress does not get majority, it is sure to form an alliance, he said and added that before the alliance, there will be a discussion about who should be the CM and who should be the DCM.
He said that the JD (S) party will not go with the BJP, and will take a decision after calculating everything.
However Shamanur Shivashankarappas son Former Minister, S. S. Mallikarjun did not accept his father’s statement that he would be the Chief Ministerial candidate if Lingayats win in maximum numbers.
When asked, “Your father is also in the CM race,”. He said no. We have a High Command that takes decisions. All the MLAs will elect the CM. Everyone has desire, and first let’s see the result,” said S. S. Mallikarjun.
Already in the Congress, Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar are strong contenders for the post of CM. There is a discussion about this in the public as well.
Meanwhile, Shamanur has recently entered into fray. This time Lingayat MLAs are likely to win in large numbers, and hence it seems they have gained a lot of hope.