Mandya (Karnataka): Former Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Tuesday said that the Congress has no intention of making a Dalit person the Chief Minister of the state.
Mr Kumaraswamy, who is also a leader of the Janata Dal (Secular), stressed that the party has no intention of making a Dalit as CM but he would support Mallikarjun Kharge for the post of chief minister, who is also a Dalit leader, in the next Assembly elections in 2023.
"When opportunities were available in 2008 and 2013, then the Congress did not make a Dalit as Chief Minister. I even said I will support making Mallikarjun Kharge the Chief Minister with my 28 MLAs. However, they did not agree. They even sent five rebel MLAs to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)," Mr Kumaraswamy said while speaking to media persons.
With Karnataka Assembly elections less than two years away, Congress leaders in the state have been speculating and choosing their leaders for the chief ministerial candidate.
Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar had earlier said he was in no hurry to get the post of Chief Minister.