Will continue as CM, asserts Siddaramaiah, 'all the best', says DKS, Cong gags leaders

Bengaluru, Nov 21 (PTI) Amid the intense power struggle involving his deputy and state Congress chief D K Shivakumar, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday asserted that he would continue in office and also present state budgets in the future, prompting an "all the best" wish from the former.

The veteran leader's assertion came amidst the intense power struggle in the ruling Congress, with the Shivakumar camp mounting pressure on the party high command for a leadership change.

With the squabbling in Congress coming out in open, AICC General Secretary in-charge of Karnataka Randeep Singh Surjewala issued a stern warning to party MLAs and leaders against making any public statements on the issue of leadership.

At least 15 MLAs and about a dozen MLCs have camped in New Delhi to push the party leadership to make Shivakumar the next CM, Congress sources said.

According to reports, the demand is based on a purported power-sharing agreement reached in 2023, under which Siddaramaiah was to serve as the CM for two and a half years (till November 2025) before making way for Shivakumar.

Responding to a query on some MLAs and MLCs camping in Delhi, the CM said the Congress high command has to decide on the leadership change, cabinet reshuffle or government restructuring.

"Has High Command spoken on it? We can’t help it. Earlier also some people were discussing it, and now they might have gone (to Delhi). Finally, Shivakumar and I have to listen to whatever the high command says," he added.

To a question whether he would present the next two state budgets, Siddaramaiah retorted, "Why are you asking this? Yes, I will continue. I will present the budgets in future also.” Reacting to Siddaramaiah's assertion that he would complete his five years' term, Shivakumar wished him "all the best".

"The CM has said he will complete five years. I wish him all the best. We will all work together." Shivakumar also said he did not believe in factionalism as he is president of all the 140 MLAs in the state.

Regarding some MLAs camping in Delhi, Shivakumar said that it was quite natural for those aspiring to become ministers to visit the national capital and hold meetings with leaders there.

According to him, no one has called the MLAs, but they are voluntarily going.

Shivakumar also paid a surprise visit to the Bengaluru Central Jail where he met the jailed Congress MLAs Vinay Kulkarni and K C Veerendra alias Puppy.

According to the information received, Shivakumar spoke to them for some time.

Kulkarni is in jail in connection with a murder case while Puppy is behind the bars in a money laundering case.

It was not known what Shivakumar discussed with the MLAs.

While those supporting Shivakumar are largely Vokkaligas, one of the dominant communities in Karnataka to which he belongs to, the 'AHINDA' MLAs too had a meeting on Thursday night, sources said.

AHINDA is a Kannada acronym for minorities, backward castes and Dalits.

Also, the Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi on Thursday hosted a dinner where the Ministers and MLAs met.

Though Jarkiholi and Home Minister G Parameshwara said it was just a regular meeting, Shivakumar said that their meeting was to have a new Congress president and to have four to five deputy Chief Ministers.

"All the meetings have been going on for the past two-and-half years. There is nothing new. Let them conduct more meetings," Shivakumar said.

Meanwhile, Surjewala warned party leaders against publicly discussing the issue.

"Had a discussion with Karnataka CM and Deputy CM and they agreed that a decisively defeated and faction ridden Karnataka BJP, along with a section of the media, are designedly running a maligning campaign against Karnataka and its Congress government," he alleged in a post on 'X'.

The Rajya Sabha MP noted that the "needless statements" of some Congress leaders and MLAs has also fuelled unnecessary speculation.

"INC has sternly warned them from making any public statements on the issue of leadership or falling for the agenda being propagated by the vested interests. The opinion of various party functionaries has been taken note of by the leadership," Surjewala added. PTI AMP GMS SA