Karnataka showdown: DK Shivakumar says 'no option' but to support Siddaramaiah

Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah greets Deputy CM DK Shivakumar. (File: PTI)

Karnataka's Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Wednesday said that he has no option than to stand by Chief Minister K Siddaramaiah amid unrest within the state unit of the Congress party. The remark comes days after the Congress high command was forced to intervene in the ongoing power tussle between two of its top leaders in the state.

"What option do I have? I have to stand by him and support him. I don't have any objection to it. Whatever the party high command tells and whatever they decide, it will be fulfilled. I haven't told anyone to speak in favour of me. It's not needed. When there is a Chief Minister, there is no question of such statements. Many have worked for the party; it's not just me. Lakhs of party workers have toiled for the party, let's first think of them," Shivakumar said, seeking to distance himself from the speculation that he was seeking to replace Siddaramaiah as the Karnataka CM.

The Karnataka unit of the Congress has been caught in a bitter power tussle with several of its legislators openly calling for a change in leadership. Following the party's victory in the state polls in 2023, Shivakumar had staked claim to the CM's chair but the party leadership chose to go with Siddaramaiah. It was then reported that the party had settled on rotational chief ministership of two and a half years for both leaders. The party never acknowledged it officially.

As the controversy snowballed last week, Shivakumar stepped in and said that there was no discord or unhappiness among legislators. "We are only giving out responsibility and fixing accountability among MLAs. I will give notice to Iqbal [Hussain] and anyone else who talks out of line," he said, referring to the party leader who rooted for Shivakumar as the CM despite the party issuing a gag order on all leaders on the matter.

Despite repeated calls for restraint, several Congress MLAs have publicly supported Shivakumar as CM. Iqbal Hussain recently claimed that 100 of the 138 Congress MLAs back the Deputy Chief Minister and warned that the Congress "may not return to power" if the high command does not heed calls for a change in leadership.

Meanwhile, Siddaramaiah has also made it clear that that he intends to serve the full five-year term in office, dismissing speculations of a mid-term change in leadership. "Yes, I will [continue as Chief Minister]. Why do you have doubts?" he told reporters on Wednesday, rejecting claims by the BJP and JD(S) of an imminent change. "Are they the Congress high command?" he asked.