Mallikarjun Kharge, who is currently Congress' national president, has served as Karnataka's home minister during his years in state politics.
Karnataka Assembly Elections 2023 latest news: In a significant statement in the run up to the May 10 polls, Congress’ state unit chief DK Shivakumar on Saturday said that he looked forward to work under Mallikarjun Kharge if the party national president becomes the Chief Minister of Karnataka after the assembly elections.
"Mallikarjun Kharge is my leader and he is my AICC president. I love to work under him. He is an asset for our state and the country. I am committed to the decision taken by the party," Shivakumar said in a press conference.
Shivakumar praised Congress president Kharge’s services to Karnataka, calling him an asset for the state and the country. He was responding to a question during an interview where he was asked if he would make way for Kharge to be Karnataka CM. Shivakumar said Kharge is 20 years his senior.
“For his seniority and sacrifice...He had resigned in the midnight from the post of floor leader of the house. We know this. Today, a block president has now become AICC president. This cannot be possible in any other party except Congress,” Shivakumar was quoted to have said.
“In this background, whatever he wishes, I am committed to that,” Shivakumar said. The statement is also of significance amid an ongoing indirect game of one-upmanship between Shivakumar and Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah over the CM post in the run-up to the polls.
In a 50-year political career, Kharge has won in the Karnataka Assembly elections a record 10 times. He was elected as an MLA for 9 consecutive terms, an unprecedented feat. Kharge has served as Minister of Home Affairs and Minister of Rural Development in earlier Karnataka governments.
On the national level, Kharge has served as Minister of Railways and Minister of Labour and Employment in UPA-II government. He served as leader of the opposition and was elected as the first Congress president outside the Nehru-Gandhi family in 2022. He is a Member of the Rajya Sabha from Karnataka since February 2021.
(Inputs from PTI)
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 "Karnataka Assembly Elections 2023: Mallikarjun Kharge to be Congress’ CM face? DK Shivakumar makes big statement")
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