Kanakapura/New Delhi, 25 Nov

Karnataka’s power tussle resurfaced on Tuesday as Deputy Chief Minister and State Congress President DK Shivakumar described the reported chief ministerial change as a “secret deal” involving “five or six” people in the party, insisting he would not discuss the matter in public.

Shivakumar, speaking to reporters in his home constituency Kanakapura, said he did not want to “embarrass or weaken” the party. “I have not asked to be made CM. It is a secret deal between five and six of us. I believe in my conscience,” he said, adding that the Congress and its workers came before individual ambitions.

Speculation over leadership change has intensified after the Congress government crossed the halfway mark of its five-year term on 20 November. Rumours of a 2023 “power-sharing” understanding between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar have gained fresh traction.

Shivakumar, who notably did not meet AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge during the latter’s recent stay in Bengaluru, nevertheless accompanied him to the airport on Tuesday as he left for Delhi.

He reiterated his respect for Siddaramaiah, praising him as a senior leader and “an asset”, and noted that the CM had already announced he would present the next Budget. “We should all work together with the target of 2028 and 2029,” he said.

Asked about legislators backing his elevation to the top post and their visits to Delhi, Shivakumar distanced himself from the efforts. “I have not called any of them. They might be trying to become ministers,” he remarked. Several MLAs supporting him have travelled to the national capital over the past week, with more expected.

Shivakumar also dismissed queries about a formal power-sharing pact: “Why should I speak about it? You (the media) have written things.”

Meanwhile, in Delhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the issue of leadership change in Karnataka was not for public discussion. “This is not a subject to be discussed here and that too in public,” he said, adding that he had come solely to attend Constitution Day events and subsequent review meetings.

Kharge declined to comment on any possible meetings with Rahul Gandhi, stating only that discussions, if any, would be internal. He had earlier travelled to the airport with Shivakumar.

Within the Karnataka Congress, Siddaramaiah is reportedly pushing for a Cabinet reshuffle. Party insiders say approval for such a reshuffle from the high command would signal that Siddaramaiah would complete his full term — a move that could effectively close the door on any mid-term transition to Shivakumar.

Shivakumar, for his part, said prayers offered by supporters today were less important than those offered when he was in jail. PTI