Congress leaders have been asked to concentrate on the ensuing byelection instead of repeatedly broaching the issue of a second term as Chief Minister for senior leader Siddaramaiah.
On Sunday, Congress general secretary in charge of Karnataka K.C. Venugopal told Congress leaders not to raise the topic in public and concentrate on the bypoll, which is important to the coalition government, said a leader who participated in the meeting in Kundagol.
Mr. Venugopal was in Hubballi to monitor the campaigning for Kundagol byelection.
Both the parties have accepted the coalition arrangement with H.D. Kumaraswamy as the Chief Minister, and it was now the question of elections and not that of Chief Minister, he is reported to have told the leaders.
Incidentally, on Sunday, another Congress leader and Food and Civil Supplies Minister B.Z. Zameer Ahmed Khan told presspersons in Hubballi that Mr. Siddaramaiah has to become the Chief Minister again and it was a demand from all. “Mr. Kumaraswamy will complete five years. But Mr. Siddaramaiah will become the Chief Minister after that,” he said.
At Maddur in Mandya district, Janata Dal (Secular) State president A.H. Vishwanath said: “Some supporters of Mr. Siddaramaiah are expressing their desire of seeing him as the Chief Minister. But, he can become the Chief Minister only after the next Assembly election.”
Meanwhile, Mr. Venugopal held a meeting of Congress and JD(S) leaders to take stock of the situation ahead of the bypoll on May 19.
Mr. Kumaraswamy is scheduled to address public meetings here on Monday evening.