"Know My Limits, No Differences": DK Shivakumar On Ties With Siddaramaiah

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Sunday said all is well within the state Congress ranks and there is no difference of opinion between him and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Speaking to reporters, Shivakumar said he is well aware of his "limits" as Karnataka Congress president and that his party's sole focus is to prepare a strategy for the 2028 Karnataka Assembly elections.

"There is no difference between me and the CM. Being the party president, I know my limits. Nowhere have I made any comments or expressed a difference of opinion with the CM. We are all working together. There are a lot of aspirations of the people of Karnataka, and we are committed to working for them. Our aim is 2028 and 2029, and we are working for it. The CM and I will work out a strategy. We want to call an all-party meeting on various issues," DK Shivakumar told reporters.

Amid rising speculation over a leadership tussle between Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, the Congress sought to project unity as the two leaders held an hour-long breakfast meeting on Saturday, reiterating their commitment to the party high command's directives.

Although Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar aimed to send out a message of harmony, the opposition dismissed the meeting as a "breakup par makeup", alleging that the leaders were merely attempting to mask their internal differences with a show of solidarity.

Speculations about a leadership change in Karnataka rose on November 20, when the Siddaramaiah-led government completed its half-term.

Siddaramaiah, the current CM, insists he'll complete his five-year term, citing the mandate given by the people of Karnataka. He's emphasised his commitment to fulfilling the party's promises, including the five guarantee schemes. Shivakumar, on the other hand, is pushing for a leadership change, citing a "secret agreement" among senior leaders that he should take over as CM after 2.5 years.

The high command, led by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, is expected to make a decision soon. Both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar have expressed willingness to abide by the party's decision. The tussle, fueled by the 2023 "power-sharing agreement" between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, has pushed each side's loyalists to lobby for their leaders' claims to the state's top post.