Leadership row: Will wait for Congress high command's call, says Shivakumar

With the leadership issue involving him and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah coming to the fore again, deputy CM D K Shivakumar on Saturday said the Congress high command has told the two leaders as to when they will be called to Delhi to discuss the matter.

He said that both of them will go to Delhi and meet the high command, when called.

"I will inform you, I won't do anything without informing you. I will not go hiding from you," Shivakumar told reporters here in response to a question on him and Siddaramaiah's likely visit to the national capital to meet the party high command after the just concluded legislature session in Belagavi.

Asked if there was any invitation from the high command, asking him and CM to come to Delhi, he said, "they have told something to both of us, they have told both of us over phone as to when they will call us. We will go, both of us will go."  "They (high command) have said they will call both of us at the appropriate time, we will wait for the call," the Karnataka Congress chief added.

Shivakumar's statement came a day after Siddaramaiah asserted in the Assembly that he would continue in office. He had also said that the Congress high command was "in my favour" and asserted that no decision was made on him staying at the helm for only two-and-a-half years, as per a rumoured 2023 agreement on power-sharing with his deputy.

Shivakumar, had on Friday said that he and CM Siddaramaiah have come to an agreement with the involvement of the Congress high command, and both of them will abide by it.

The power tussle within the ruling party has intensified amid speculations about a change in chief minister in the state, after the Congress government reached the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20.

The speculation was fueled by the "power-sharing" pact between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar in 2023.

Meanwhile some 'Naga Sadhus' visited the Deputy CM's residence and blessed him on Saturday.

Further, in what is seen as a surprising development, Shivakumar met former Minister and senior MLA K N Rajanna, who is considered close to Siddaramaiah, at a private guest house here on Saturday.

Shivakumar had earlier met leaders from "Siddaramaiah camp" like ministers Satish Jarkiholi, G Parameshwara, K J George.

However, the meeting with Rajanna is significant, as the MLA has been openly stating that Siddaramaiah should and will be CM for full five years time as he was elected by party legislators as the leader of the Congress Legislature Party. He has said Shivakumar can lead the party in 2028 assembly polls and become CM.

He had also said that he won't become a minister in Shivakumar's cabinet if the latter is elevated. Rajanna has also been vocal in demanding for a change of state Congress President, the position currently held by Shivakumar, and three more deputy CMs in the state.

Rajanna, who was Cooperative Minister, was removed from the cabinet earlier this year, following directions from the Congress high command. His certain comments, especially on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's "votes theft" allegations, was said to be the reasons for his sacking.

Stating that he is going to Delhi on Tuesday to meet various central ministers, Shivakumar, who is also the Minister for water resources said, "the central government's water resources department has called us regarding interlinking of rivers."  "I will go there and discuss matters related to the state's river projects like Mahadayi, Krishna water award, Mekedatu, and Upper Badhra." He said he will also meet the central water resources minister, forest minister, urban development minister.

"There are a lot of issues. We wanted to meet them along with MPs from the state, but still I will go and meet. Then after that, if needed, we will meet the Prime Minister also with the issues," Shivkumar added.

Hitting out at the Modi government at the Center for replacing the existing rural employment law MGNREGA, and removing Mahatma Gandhi's name from it, Shivakumar accused it of insulting the father of the nation.

He also challenged the government to remove Gandhiji's image from currency notes.

"The country wants Gandhi. People of the country will respond to it," he said.

"They want to change Gandhi's name...let them change this picture of Gandhi also," he said, showing a currency note.

"With Gandhi's name we had started an employment guarantee scheme under the leadership of Sonia Gandhi and (late) Manmohan Singh (former PM), the MGNREGA.....they want to kill the scheme, so they have changed its name. A big movement will start against it from Karnataka itself," he said.