JD-S won't back Congress leader for CM post

Bengaluru: Even as efforts to save the Congress-JD(S) coalition government continue, the JD(S) has flatly refused to back Mr Siddaramaiah for the CM post, blaming him for the entire crisis.

With senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge  reportedly unwilling to be a compromise candidate for CM, the JD(S) may support home minister M.B. Patil for chief minister and PWD minister H.D. Revanna for deputy chief minister.

Sources said that of the 13 MLAs who have resigned, a couple are said to be willing to reconsider their resignations. On Sunday afternoon, the issue cropped up during a meeting Mr H.D. Deve Gowda had with water resources minister D.K. Shivakumar. Mr Gowda is said to have pointed out the fact that many of those who resigned were  Mr Siddaramaiah supporters and there was a game plan behind the sudden resignations.

There are many in the JD(S) who believe that Siddaramaiah enjoys a good rapport with BJP President Mr B.S. Yeddyurappa. When he was opposition leader, Mr Siddaramaiah had hardly criticised  then chief minister Yeddyurappa.

Only after Yeddyurappa’s resignation was the Ballari padayatra against illegal mining, led by Siddaramaiah organised. Even Mr Yeddyurappa has returned the favour by not being too critical of Mr Siddaramaiah.

During the meeting, Mr Gowda reportedly told Mr Shivakumar that he would not support the Congress, if Mr Siddaramaiah was proposed for the CM post. After a long discussion, the idea of having M.B. Patil as CM was proposed. Mr Patil is identified as a Siddaramaiah supporter but reportedly does not have a record of being loyal to anyone for long as he started off as a  S.M. Krishna loyal first. Besides, he is a Lingayat and that that would take care of the aspirations of the dominant community in Karnataka, sources said.