Amidst speculations of a leadership change in Karnataka, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar will hold a breakfast meeting at the CM's residence 'Kaveri' at 9:30 AM on Saturday. This meeting follows directions from the party high command.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah clearly stated on Friday that he will adhere to any decision made by the high command. He mentioned that the high command has asked both him and Shivakumar to sit down and discuss the matter together tomorrow, with the intention of resolving the stalemate.
Siddaramaiah tweeted, "I am firm in my position. I have already stated that I will act as directed by senior leaders of the party. Today and tomorrow, my stance remains the same. The senior leaders have summoned both me and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar for a meeting. Hence, I have invited them for lunch where we will hold discussions. D.K. Shivakumar has also expressed his agreement with the high command. If the high command summons me to New Delhi, I will go."
Read more: '...then we'll bring a no-confidence motion against Karnataka government', says former CM Basavaraj Bommai amidst the tug of war
DK targeting Siddaramaiah
Both leaders are scheduled to meet at 9:30 AM tomorrow at Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's official residence 'Kaveri'. Recently, Shivakumar and his supporters have been consistently demanding that he be given the CM post as promised by the party high command after the 2023 election win.
On the other hand, Siddaramaiah and his loyalists claim that no such agreement existed, and he intends to remain Chief Minister for the entire term. Prior to this, both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar had shared the stage at a government function to demonstrate their unity. However, Shivakumar had previously taken a jibe at Siddaramaiah, praising Sonia Gandhi's 'sacrifice' post the 2004 Lok Sabha elections.
Meanwhile, sources have indicated that the Congress high command is evaluating the pros and cons of a potential leadership change in Karnataka. Should Siddaramaiah be replaced, Shivakumar is seen as the most probable successor. Siddaramaiah holds strong support among SC-ST, Muslim, and OBC communities, while Shivakumar is regarded for his organizational skills and election management, making him valuable to the high command.
Read more: 'High command responsible for Karnataka power struggle', says Veerappa Moily on Siddaramaiah vs Shivakumar matter
Developments amidst speculations
Meanwhile, several Shivakumar-supporting legislators have gone to Delhi, demanding his appointment as CM, intensifying the controversy. The high command is also reconsidering the supposed "2.5-year rotational deal", which Siddaramaiah's faction has outrightly denied. A faction of Shivakumar's supportive legislators had also traveled to Delhi.
Home Minister G. Parameshwara endorsed the idea of making Shivakumar the Chief Minister at the high command's will, whereas Siddaramaiah's loyalist Zameer Ahmed Khan immediately refuted this.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge declared that this issue is not for public debate. Siddaramaiah's son, Yatindra Siddaramaiah, denied any instructions regarding leadership change and dismissed speculations as media confusion.
