‘Both Of Us Will Go’: Siddaramaiah, DK Shivakumar To Meet Party’s High Command Amid Power Tussle – Delhi News Daily

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar

Amid continuing speculation over leadership in Karnataka, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Saturday said the Congress high command has already spoken to both him and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and will decide when they should come to Delhi for discussions.

Speaking to the reporters, Shivakumar mentioned that both leaders would meet the party leadership together when called. “I will inform you, I won’t do anything without informing you. I will not go hiding from you,” he said, responding to questions on a possible visit to the national capital.

“They have told something to both of us, they have told both of us over phone as to when they will call us. We will go, both of us will go,” he added.

Reiterating the same point, the Karnataka Congress chief said, “They (high command) have said they will call both of us at the appropriate time, we will wait for the call.”

Shivakumar’s remarks came a day after Siddaramaiah asserted in the Assembly that he would continue as chief minister. Speaking during a debate on development issues related to North Karnataka, Siddaramaiah said he had never stated that his term would be limited to half of the government’s tenure.

“I am confident that the high command will allow me to complete five years’ term,” Siddaramaiah said while replying to BJP MLAs, according to a report by PTI.

“I feel that the high command is on my side, but I will abide by the high command’s decision,” adding that there was no final decision on a two-and-a-half-year term as suggested by reports of a 2023 power-sharing arrangement,” he stated.

Earlier, Shivakumar had said that he and Siddaramaiah reached an understanding with the involvement of the party leadership and that both would stand by it.

The internal debate within the ruling Congress has intensified after the government crossed the halfway point of its five-year term on November 20. Speculation around a leadership change has been linked to the reported power-sharing agreement between the two leaders when the Congress came to power in 2023.

Meanwhile, Shivakumar said he would be travelling to Delhi on Tuesday to meet Union ministers. Referring to his portfolio as water resources minister, he said the Centre had called state officials for discussions on river interlinking.