It’s not proper to speak on leadership change after CM’s clarification: Shivakumar

Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah affirmed he'll complete his five-year term amid leadership change buzz. Deputy CM D K Shivakumar backed the statement, denying talks of power-sharing. Congress high command meetings focused on appointments, not CM rotation or political changes

Bengaluru: In the wake of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah asserting that he would complete his five-year’ tenure, his deputy D K Shivakumar on Friday said the CM has replied to all the questions on the matter.

“The Chief Minister has already answered all your questions. It’s not appropriate for me to keep repeating the same, and it’s not right for you to keep asking,” Shivakumar told reporters at the Bengaluru airport, upon his return from New Delhi.

---

Both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar were in the national capital to meet the Congress high command earlier this week. “Why are you (pointing to reporters) panicking about our internal matters when we are not?” Shivakumar quipped, dismissing speculation that the talks were about a power-sharing arrangement.

Following the Congress’s victory in the May 2023 Assembly elections, there had been intense competition between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar for the Chief Minister’s post. Reports at the time suggested that they agreed upon a rotational CM formula, under which Shivakumar would take over after two-and-a-half years, in November 2025. However, the party has never confirmed such an agreement.

Asked about growing support for him within the party to take over as CM, Shivakumar said, “Leave it. Many of you have aspirations too.” He declined to comment further on questions about leadership change.

“I’m not going to answer any of your questions at this point,” he said, adding that there were no political discussions during the Delhi visit. “We discussed appointments of party workers as chairpersons and members of boards and corporations. Since all MLAs have submitted their opinions, we’re now in the final stages. One more round of discussions with the high command will help finalise the names,” he said.

On Thursday, Siddaramaiah told reporters in Delhi that there was “no vacancy” for the top post when asked about speculation over a leadership change in Karnataka. “Is there any vacancy for the chief ministership? I am very much here before you. I am the Chief Minister of Karnataka. That is what Shivakumar has said, and I am also saying it… There is no vacancy,” he added.

He also pointed out that the Congress general secretary in charge of Karnataka, Randeep Singh Surjewala, had categorically denied any leadership change, and that Shivakumar had echoed the same.