Karnataka leadership change: Sidda seeks end to 'confusion'; 'Secret deal between 5-6 of us', says DKS

Bengaluru/New Delhi, Nov 25 (PTI) As the leadership tussle in the Congress government in Karnataka refuses to die down, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday put the onus on the party high command to put a "full stop to the confusion" even as his deputy D K Shivakumar said cryptically there is a "secret deal between 5-6 of us" in the party on the issue of sharing power.

AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge for his part said the issue of leadership change in Karnataka is not something to be discussed publicly.

The power tussle within the ruling party has intensified in the recent weeks amid speculation about a CM change in the state after the Congress government reached the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20 in the backdrop of an alleged "power-sharing" agreement involving Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar in 2023 A day after asserting that the high command's decision on the matter is binding on all, including himself and Shivakumar, Siddaramaiah urged the party's top leadership to put an end to the "confusion." Responding to a question about legislators backing Shivakumar travelling to Delhi, Siddaramaiah said, "Let them go. MLAs have freedom. Let's see what opinion they give. Ultimately, the high command has to make the decision. We will abide by what the high command says." Asked about a section of legislators appealing to the high command to put the matter to rest, he said, "Whatever they (legislators) want to say, let them say to the high command. Ultimately, to put a full stop to this confusion, the high command has to take the decision." Shivakumar, who is also the state Congress chief, said he doesn't want to speak on the matter in public as there was a "secret deal" between "5-6 of us" in the party and that he believes in his conscience.

"I don't know. I have not asked to make me the CM. It is a secret deal between five and six of us. I don't want to speak publicly on this. I believe in my conscience. We should work with our conscience. I don't want to cause embarrassment to the party in any way and weaken it. If the party is there, we are there. If karyakartas are there, we are there," Shivakumar said in response to a question about whether him becoming the CM would be finally settled.

Speaking to reporters in his home constituency Kanakapura, he said, "The CM has spoken. He is a senior leader. He is an asset for the party. He has completed 7.5 years as CM (including the 2013-2018 term)." On Siddaramaiah stating he will be presenting the next budget too, the deputy CM said: "I'm very happy. He had served as opposition leader in the past. He has also worked and built the party. We should all work together with the target of 2028 (assembly polls) and target 2029 (Lok Sabha election)." Asked whether there was a power sharing agreement after the Assembly polls in 2023, Shivakumar said, "Why should I speak about it? You (media) have written things." In New Delhi, Kharge was asked by reporters in Delhi about his possible meeting with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to resolve the leadership crisis.

"If a meeting takes place, we will discuss. This is not a subject to be discussed here and that too in public. I have specially come here to attend an event related to Constitution Day on November 26. I have invitation for the event. After attending the event, I have review meetings to attend, after which I will proceed further,” he said.

Before his departure to the national capital from Bengaluru, Kharge was accompanied by Shivakumar to the city airport in his car. This came even as the KPCC chief did not meet the party president while Kharge was in Bengaluru over the weekend.

Siddaramaiah on Saturday held over an hour-long meeting with Kharge at his residence in Bengaluru.

While Siddaramaiah is pushing for a reshuffle of his Cabinet, Shivakumar wants the party to first decide on leadership change, party sources said.

Siddaramaiah's key advisor Basavaraja Rayareddy, meanwhile, asserted that the CM will complete his five-year term, saying replacing him "was not easy", and that any discussion on leadership change must only take place at the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting.

Dismissing talk of a change in CM, Rayareddy, who is Economic Adviser to the Chief Minister and a senior MLA, questioned the need to replace Siddaramaiah. "Is he corrupt or anti people?" "We are not aware of any decision by the party suggesting that Siddaramaiah has to step down after the government completes 2.5 years in office. Siddaramaiah took oath as CM on May 20, 2023 and two days before that Congress Legislature Party meeting was held, where there was a contest, in which Siddaramaiah got majority, and he was elected as the CM." Speaking to reporters in Koppal, he sought to know why Siddaramaiah should be removed.

"I too voted for Siddarmaiah, none of us were told then that he would remain CM for only 2.5 years. If we were not told, then it means he is the CM for 5 years. So the question of CM change doesn't arise." Insisting that Shivakumar too had not claimed the CM post, the senior MLA blamed what he called the ongoing confusion created by some MLAs close to Shivakumar. "They say their leaders should become CM because he gave them tickets to contest polls." Another close aide of Siddaramaiah and Minister B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan reiterated that the CM will remain in office till 2028 and succeeded by Shivakumar.

Responding to the rumblings in the ruling party, Karnataka BJP President B Y Vijayendra said the state does not want "acting or outgoing CM", and urged the Congress to settle its leadership tussle before the winter session of the legislature begins in Belagavi next month.PTI GMS KSU KH ROH SA GSN GSN GSN