New Delhi: Leader of opposition in Karnataka and senior leaders of the Congress party, Siddaramaiah on Thursday ruled out any natives versus migrants divide in the party's state unit. He also said that currently, there are no talks within the party regarding the chief ministerial candidate for the state assembly elections slated to be held in 2023. "There has been no discussion at all (on the next CM candidate), no such discussions have taken place on this in the Congress. The election is still one year-ten months away. The election has to happen, new legislators will come, based on their opinion, high command will decide, why to discuss now," news agency PTI quoted Siddaramaiah as saying. Speaking on the natives and migrants divide, Siddaramaiah said, "I came to Congress from outside, didn't I become the Chief Minister, then where is the talk of natives or migrants. There is no such thing," it also reported.

Former leader of JD(S), Siddaramaih joined Congress with several of his followers in 2006. He became the Karnataka chief minister in 2013.

The comments by the party's senior leader come as the issue of the chief ministerial face during the 2023 assembly polls has widened inner conflicts within the party. It has also triggered a game of one-upmanship between state Congress President DK Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah, who is the legislature party leader.

Recently, several MLAs openly favouredSiddaramaiah as the chief minister face, despite diktat from the party leadership, which had irked Shivakumar, who is also nursing chief ministerial ambitions.