Karnataka CM 'battle': Siddaramaiah, DKS differ over power-sharing 'agreement'

Speculations over power-sharing in Karnataka have become heated once again, thanks to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s assertion on Friday (December 19) that he would continue to hold the top post for the next two-and-a-half years and that there was no power-sharing arrangement in place. Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, however, mentioned about such an "agreement" reached at the time of the government's formation in 2023, indirectly contradicting the former.

It was the second time in four days that Siddaramaiah dismissed the possibility of him stepping down midway through the term, saying he would complete the entire five-year term. On both occasions, however, he put the ball in the court of the party high command, saying it would take the final call.

Also read: Siddaramaiah-DKS feud pushes Karnataka govt to the brink; has Congress learnt nothing?

The 77-year-old chief minister’s latest remarks came amid the Opposition’s questioning on the concluding day of the winter session of the state’s legislative Assembly in Belagavi.

The focus immediately turned to Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, who is also party to the brewing storm in Karnataka’s power politics, and he gave a direct retort. He said he would act as per the “agreement made during the formation of the government”.

'CM suggesting MLA strength not important'

“Both CM Siddaramaiah and I have spoken. We have also informed the high command about the matter,” the firebrand leader said. He also said that by putting the onus on the high command’s shoulders, the CM underplayed the strength of the MLAs.

Also read: No decision yet on no-confidence motion against Congress govt, says Karnataka LoP

Shivakumar, who held a couple of breakfast diplomacies with Siddaramaiah in the recent past in Bengaluru, episodes that were projected as efforts to break the ice amid a raging power struggle, spoke to the media after visiting Andle Jagadeeshwari Temple near Ankola on Friday. He performed a special puja there.

“I never said I won't stay for five years; the high command made the decision. Siddaramaiah became the chief minister because the high command was in favour of the CM. By saying that the high command’s decision is final, he has sent a message that the strength of the MLAs is not important,” the deputy CM said.

Shivakumar, who is known popularly as “DKS”, however, refused to respond to the media’s questions about his desire to become the chief minister and the probable timeline for the problem’s resolution, and just smiled.

Also read: DK Shivakumar says he braved PM Modi, Amit Shah when jailed; fears none

“I had come to this temple with my family and prayed, and it has been fulfilled. I had vowed to come here again. “Now I have come again, I have asked you to bless me again, Mother,” the Congress leader said.

DKS's frequent temple visits

The 63-year-old Shivakumar has been making frequent visits to temples in Karnataka and other states nowadays.

Recently, he went to the Mahabaleshwar Temple in Gokarna and Kallahalli Bhuvarahanath Temple in Mandya. In October, he visited Sri Raghavendra Swamy Matha in Mantralayam in Andhra Pradesh, where, besides offering prayers to the gods, he performed ‘gau puja' (cow worship). He has also gone to religious sites in Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Kerala and also Sri Kadasiddeshwara Mutt in Nonavinakere in Tumkur district of Karnataka, with which the senior leader is closely associated.

Also read: Breakfast Diplomacy 2.0: Sidda, DKS make another show of unity over idli-chicken meal

The speculation over a change of guard in Karnataka became rife after Siddaramaiah completed two-and-a-half years in the CM’s seat, and the supporters of Shivakumar expected that their leader would complete the remaining period of the term till the next elections in 2028. Last week, Ramanagara Congress MLA H A Iqbal Hussain’s prediction that Shivakumar would succeed Siddaramaiah as the chief minister in early January added fuel to the speculation.

The impact of the tug-of-war was reportedly felt in Belagavi, too, as both leaders had separate dinner meetings with party leaders known to be close with them in a week's time as the state Assembly's winter session continued.