The power tussle within the ruling party has intensified, amid speculation about chief minister change in the state, after the Congress government reached the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20, citing an alleged "power-sharing" agreement involving CM Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar in 2023
Representational Image
Another batch of legislators backing Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Sivakumar has flown to New Delhi to meet Congress high command leaders, amid a power tussle within the ruling party in Karnataka over the CM change issue, party sources said on Monday, reported news agency PTI.
Sources told PTI at least six legislators have landed in the national capital on Sunday night.
Few more legislators are likely to travel soon, to pitch for Shivakumar as CM, they said.
The power tussle within the ruling party has intensified, amid speculation about chief minister change in the state, after the Congress government reached the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20, citing an alleged "power-sharing" agreement involving CM Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar in 2023.
The MLAs who are in Delhi are - H C Balakrishna (Magadi), K M Uday (Maddur), Nayana Motamma (Mudigere), Iqbal Hussain (Ramanagara), Sharath Bachegowd (Hosakote), and Shivaganga Basavaraj (Channagiri), party sources told PTI.
AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge, who is in Bengaluru, is scheduled to travel to Delhi, and Congress top leader Rahul Gandhi is likely to return from trip abroad, sources told PTI.
Last week some legislators, about ten of them, supporting Shivakumar travelled to New Delhi and met Kharge, as the Congress government completed 2.5 years in office on November 20.
Shivakumar, however, had then said he was not aware of legislators travelling to Delhi to meet Kharge.
Following legislators backing Shivakumar travelling to Delhi, CM Siddaramaiah on Saturday held more than an hour long meeting with Kharge at his residence in Bengaluru.
While Siddaramaiah is pushing for a reshuffle of his Cabinet, Shivakumar wants the party to first decide on leadership change, party sources told PTI.
According to several party insiders, if the Congress high command approves the Cabinet reshuffle, it would signal that Siddaramaiah will complete the full five-year term, which will scuttle the chances of Shivakumar from occupying the coveted post.
Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday said if the Congress high command decides that he should continue in the post he will do so, reported PTI.
The high command will ultimately decide on the leadership change, he said, adding that he and Deputy CM D K Shivakumar should accept it.
The power tussle within the ruling party has intensified amid speculation about chief minister change in the state after the Congress government reached the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20, citing an alleged "power-sharing" agreement involving Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar in 2023.
"We will abide by the high command decision. If they decide I should continue (as CM), I will continue. Ultimately, whatever the high command decides, I should accept it. Shivakumar should also accept it," Siddaramaiah told reporters.
(With inputs from PTI)
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
