Bengaluru: Days after Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy claimed that veteran Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge could have become the chief minister of Karnataka, Congress Legislature Party (CLP) Siddaramaiah said that Kharge is not only capable of being the chief minister but can achieve higher posts.

The CLP leader had earlier tweeted, "There are many leaders in the Congress, and the JD(S) who are chief minister material and one of them is Kumaraswamy's brother HD Revanna. But for everything, right time should come."

Siddaramaiah's comment raised a lot of eyebrows with his comments that seemed to support the JD(S).

Speaking to reporters in Karnataka's Chincholi, Siddaramaiah ended speculation about him supporting the JD(S) and said, "I did not say Revanna should become chief minister. I said that there are many leaders in both the Congress and JD(S), of which Revanna is also CM material. Anyone can become a chief minister. Mallikarjun Kharge is not only CM material, but he is beyond that."

Earlier on Tuesday (May 14) Kumaraswamy had said that Mallikarjun Kharge, who is one of the senior-most Congress leaders in the country, was not made chief minister despite having worked tirelessly for it over the last five decades.

The statement, which supported the Congress leader comes to light while the relationship between Kumaraswamy and Siddaramaiah has worsened.