BENGALURU, 6 APRIL

The power tussle and squabbling in the ruling Congress in Karnataka has subsided for the time being as the party High Command told Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar to continue as the party state unit chief, Congress sources said on Sunday.

Shivakumar and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah spent last Thursday and Friday in New Delhi, where they met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

The meeting assumes significance as a campaign has begun to replace Shivakumar as the party state president.

Several MLAs and Ministers believed to be from Siddaramaiah camp want Shivakumar to discontinue as the Congress state chief.

They have been demanding the strict adherence of the party policy of 'one person, one post'.

Shivakumar’s rivals in the party have been demanding his removal from the position of the state Deputy Chief Minister and Congress president.

The argument is also that a person holding a ministerial position cannot do justice to the state president's post as he cannot give time to the party cadres willing to meet him.

Party high command is not keen on replacing Shivakumar considering his immense contribution to the party especially in winning the assembly elections, good performance of parry during Lok Sabha elections and in winning all three assembly bypolls, the sources said.

"The party high command was not inclined to replace Shivakumar at least till November and December this year," a senior party functionary said.

There are reports about a secret pact that Siddaramaiah would helm the first half of the Congress' five-year tenure in Karnataka, who will be replaced by Shivakumar.

Neither Siddaramaiah, nor Shivakumar have confirmed this but their supporter ministers and MLAs in the party have started lobbying for their leaders.

There were also discussions on Cabinet reshuffle, MLC elections and honey trap attempts on ministers and MLAs, the sources said.