Amid the power tussle with Chief Minster Siddaramaiah, Karnataka Deputy Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar shared a cryptic post on X that seemed like a veiled dig at the Congress brass.
“Word power is World Power. The biggest force in the world is to keep one’s word," said Shivakumar. "Be it a judge, president or anyone else, including myself, everyone has to walk the talk. Word power is world power. Those standing at the back don't know the value of the chair. What value and significance the chair holds.”
According to reports, the Congress government in the state reached the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20, intensifying rumours of a "power-sharing" pact between him and Siddaramaiah that was allegedly made after the 2023 assembly elections.
Shivakumar on Wednesday asserted that the party is united and focused on the 2028 assembly and 2029 Lok Sabha elections.
Meanwhile, Vokkaliga seer Nirmalanandanatha Swamiji on Wednesday said it was both his personal view and the sentiment within the community that D K Shivakumar should become the next chief minister of Karnataka.
The pontiff of the Adichunchunagiri Math expressed confidence that the Congress high command would take an appropriate decision, citing Shivakumar’s loyalty and long service to the party.
What does Congress leadership say?
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge osaid the issue will be resolved after discussions with senior leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. "The high command -- myself, Rahul ji and Sonia ji will together take a decision on the issue and resolve it," Kharge told PTI, when asked about the issue of leadership change in Karnataka.
Meanwhile, Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge dismissed as "irrelevant," a section of party leaders pitching his father Mallikarjun Kharge for the CM post amid the leadership issue.
As talk of a leadership tussle in the Congress government in Karnataka intensified and MLAs started seeking meetings with the leadership, Siddaramaiah has put the onus on the party high command to put a "full stop to the confusion".
Karnataka minister Satish Jarkiholi seemed to back Siddaramaiah, saying he has asked the high command to clear the air at the earliest on the issue of leadership. "There is no discussion about leadership change in the party. Once it comes up, then we will discuss but there is no discussion about it in the party right now," the minister said.
Jarkiholi said he will seek time and meet Kharge to discuss this issue and to tell him his opinion.
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