- Siddaramaiah has underscored that people's mandate is a five-year responsibility, not of a moment
- Team Shivakumar has claimed there was a promise of rotation of Chief Minister post
- A tussle has been on over the alleged promise made during state government formation in 2023
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah posted a reply to his deputy's "Word power is world power" comment this evening, escalating the budding row amid the raging tussle over the state's top post.
"A Word is not power unless it betters the World for the people," Siddaramaiah wrote.
Then, to rub in the point, he added, "The mandate given by the people of Karnataka is not a moment, but a responsibility that lasts five full years. The Congress party, including me, is walking the talk for our people with compassion, consistency, and courage. Our Word to Karnataka is not a slogan, it means the World to us".
The controversy over "word" apparently stems from the rotational Chief Ministership promise that Team Shivakumar claimed was made during the state government formation in 2023.
They claimed that top leaders of the party had persuaded DK Shivakumar - then an aspirant for the top post -- to be deputy to Siddaramaiah with the promise of rotation.
Siddaramaiah had claimed that no such promise was made, while the Central leaders has maintained silence on the matter.
Now that the government has completed 2.5 years, the row has flared up.
Earlier today, Shivakumar said at an event: "There is a saying that word power is world power, which means that for us to keep our promise is one of the biggest powers in the world". Then, asking supporters surrounding him to take a seat, he said, "Those who are standing behind me don't know the value of a chair. Instead of sitting in any of the chairs they get, they are unnecessarily standing".
Mr Siddaramaiah, from initially ignoring the issue, has now changed his stance, Sources said the leader who said he wanted to retain the seat till the next budget, has now kept to supporters ready to visit Delhi. They are expected to intervene with the Central leaders in case they decided to go for a change in the top post.
Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge is expected to sit down with the Gandhis to discuss the matter. The plan then, is to summon both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar to Delhi.
