File photo of AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge (centre) with Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah (right) and deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar (left). Photo credit: X/Siddaramaiah
Power tussle: Siddaramaiah, DK Shivakumar may be called to Delhi for talks
Mallikarjun Kharge's comment comes amid ongoing leadership tussle in Karnataka Congress
Amid the ongoing speculation on the power-sharing agreement between Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday (January 12) said both CM and deputy CM would be called to New Delhi for discussions whenever necessary.
Also read: Siddaramaiah denies power struggle over chief minister chair
Kharge said, "Whenever necessary, the party would call them," in response to a question from reporters on when the CM and Deputy CM would be summoned to Delhi for talks.
Power-sharing pact
The leadership tussle within the ruling party has intensified amid speculation about a possible change of Chief Minister after the Congress government completed the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20.
The speculation has been fuelled by the reported "power-sharing" arrangement between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar at the time of the government’s formation in 2023.
Also read: CM Siddaramaiah confident of completing full term, Shivakumar says ‘good luck’
Siddaramaiah, who recently became the longest-serving Chief Minister of the state, surpassing the record held by Devaraj Urs, has expressed confidence that he will complete the full five-year term. However, he has maintained that the final decision rests with the Congress high command.
Shivakumar meets Kharge
Shivakumar, who is also the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president, on Sunday (January 11) said his hard work had brought him this far in politics and that he was confident about the Congress party’s future decision regarding him.
His remarks are being seen as an assertion of his chief ministerial ambitions.
According to party sources, Shivakumar met Kharge at the latter’s residence earlier in the day, and the two reportedly travelled together in the same car before heading to Kalaburagi to participate in a state government programme.
Also read: Shivakumar congratulates Siddaramaiah as he nears record tenure as Karnataka CM
Kharge had last month said that confusion over the leadership issue in the party’s Karnataka unit exists only at the local level and not within the party high command.
He had also urged local leaders to take "ownership of internal disputes instead of blaming the high command."
(With Agency inputs)