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With Chief Minister Siddaramaiah facing rising political heat over a probe against him in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority case, the Congress party in Karnataka is witnessing heightened political activities behind the scenes with a section of leaders seeking to position themselves in the event of his exit.
Amid demands by the Bharatiya Janata Party and Janata Dal-Secular for his resignation over the MUDA 'scam', the chief minister has repeatedly asserted in recent days that he won't quit as he hasn't done anything wrong and would fight the case legally.
The Lokayukta police and the Directorate of Enforcement have initiated separate investigations against Siddaramaiah and others into the alleged irregularities in the allotment of 14 sites to his wife Parvathi BM by the MUDA.
Senior leaders and Ministers G Parameshwara, H C Mahadevappa (both from SC communities) and Satish Jarkiholi (ST) met recently, fueling speculations about their collective strategy in case the party high command opts for leadership change over the 'scam' which has cast a shadow over the 16-month-old Siddaramaiah government.
Earlier, deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, who is also the state party chief, also had separate meetings with Parameshwara and Jarkiholi.
"Parameshwara and Shivakumar are seen to be front-runners for the top post in case Siddaramaiah is forced to go," a senior party leader said.
Jarkiholi has said in the past that he will be in the race for CM's post only in 2028 when the next Assembly elections are due in Karnataka.
The Congress leadership has backed Siddaramaiah on the MUDA issue and sees no reason for his resignation. The ruling party has accused the BJP of misusing the central agencies and the Governor's office to destabilise an elected government.
Leaders such as RV Deshapande and MB Patil have openly aired their chief ministerial aspirations adding to the discomfiture of the ruling dispensation but some in the party see nothing wrong in that.
"Naturally, everybody (wants to become CM)...that does not mean anybody can become....he (Siddaramaiah) has been elected as CM and he will continue," senior party leader and former Chief Minister M Veerappa Moily told PTI here on Friday.
When asked if Siddaramaiah would complete his five-year term, Moily said: "That I don't know. That's for high command to say but he has been elected by the legislature party. I don't think one can interfere with that.”
He said there is no pressure from the party on Siddaramaiah to quit.
The Congress president M Mallikarjun Kharge has said the party is standing with Siddaramaiah.
Rejecting BJP's demand for Siddaramaiah's resignation, Kharge, who hails from the State and had headed the state unit in the past, noted that "neither is a chargesheet filed, nor is he convicted."
"Let the law take its own course, and when a situation comes, the party will examine," he had said.
Meanwhile, citing a recent reported statement of Mahadevappa that some in Congress were waiting for Siddaramaiah to resign, state BJP chief BY Vijayendra sought to take a dig at the ruling party saying, according to his information, Shivakumar and Parameshwara have already discussed about the need for Siddaramaiah to resign as it was not possible to defend him anymore, and embarrassment is being caused to party.
He had said that more than the BJP, there seems to be confidence within the Congress that the Chief Minister will resign.
"There are discussions within Congress, it is not possible for him to continue longer, and he will have to resign," Vijayendra had said.