Amid renewed speculation over leadership within the Congress government in Karnataka, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Saturday said the party high command has informed him that it will summon both him and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah “at an appropriate time”.
Speaking to reporters, Shivakumar said he had been told over the phone that the leadership would decide when to call them. “They have conveyed this to us over the phone. We will go,” he said.
Asked whether the two leaders would travel together to meet the high command, Shivakumar replied that both would have to go. “Is it possible not to go there?” he asked, adding with a quip, “I will inform the media about it. Without informing you, I will not stealthily go and meet them.”
The leadership question resurfaced on Friday after Shivakumar responded to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s assertion that there was no power-sharing arrangement and that he would remain in office for the full term.
“Chief Minister, the high command, and I are bound by a pact,” Shivakumar said, while maintaining that there had been no discussions within the party about a change in leadership.
Earlier, Siddaramaiah had stated on the floor of the Assembly that he would continue as Chief Minister for the full term. “The leadership issue is an internal matter of our party. We will follow the directions of the high command. However, I am the current Chief Minister and have completed two and a half years in office. I will continue as the Chief Minister in the future as well,” he said.
