Amid swirling speculation about Karnataka’s political leadership, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Saturday dismissed reports of his bid for the Chief Minister’s post, emphasizing his commitment to the Congress party and the state’s future.
Speaking at a public outreach campaign at Lalbagh, Shivakumar clarified, “I have not conversed about anything regarding the leadership issue. In this issue, there is some misunderstanding. Some residents spoke that good times are on the way. I said, just look at it. It is not that I don’t know; some media people are trying to create confusion. You need not be confused. I know when my time is. My time is to see that I bring back the Congress government here in Karnataka in 2028. That is my priority.”
Shivakumar’s statement comes as reports of a possible cabinet reshuffle circulated across the state. However, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah clarified that a dinner meeting with ministers on October 13 was purely casual, saying, “It’s been a long time since I invited the ministers for a meal, so I’ve called them just for that. The dinner has no connection with the cabinet reshuffle.”
The Deputy CM also reiterated his previous warning against Congress colleagues publicly discussing a change of guard, stating, “We don’t need to react to what the BJP says. Let them say what they want to say. I have instructed our working president, GC Chandrashekar, to give notice to those who spoke on the CM post. No one should say anything related to the CM post.”
He emphasized the unity within the party, adding, “CM Siddaramaiah and I are working together. We are following the guidelines of the high command.”
Political observers note that after the 2023 Karnataka Assembly elections, there were speculations that both Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah were contenders for the Chief Minister’s post. While some reports suggested a rotational chief ministership agreement, party leaders and Siddaramaiah have consistently denied any such arrangement, asserting that the CM will complete his full five-year term.
