Karnataka leadership change: D K Shivakumar invokes conscience, says 'secret' lies with 5-6 people

Bengaluru: Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Tuesday invoked the idea of “conscience” amid his escalating power tussle with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, claiming that the “secret” behind the leadership issue was known only to a handful of Congress leaders.

Shivakumar made the remarks in his Kanakapura constituency after accompanying Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge from Sadashivanagar to the Kempegowda International Airport, from where Kharge departed for New Delhi.

“I haven’t asked to be made the CM. This is a secret among 5–6 people, which I don’t want to reveal. I don’t want to embarrass or weaken the party. We are what we are because of the party,” he said.

“I believe in my conscience. We must work as per our conscience,” he added in what was widely viewed as a veiled message to Siddaramaiah. “Where there’s effort, there’s a reward.”

Despite this, Shivakumar praised Siddaramaiah as a senior leader and “an asset” to the Congress. “He has completed 7.5 years as CM, including his first five-year term. He says he’ll present the next budget — very good. He was also Leader of the Opposition. He has toiled and contributed to the party,” he said. “All of us have 2028 (Assembly) and 2029 (Lok Sabha) as our targets.”

He also stressed that the Congress victory was not due to him alone. Asked about MLAs visiting Delhi to push for his elevation as CM, he said, “I haven’t spoken to any of them.”

After casting his vote in the Kanakapura Taluk Agricultural Produce Co-operative Marketing Society (TAPCMS) election, Shivakumar visited the temple of Kenkeramma, his family’s deity.

Ministers meet Shivakumar

Housing Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan, Food and Civil Supplies Minister K H Muniyappa, and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge met Shivakumar on Tuesday. It was widely speculated that Priyank had gone to “convey” a message from the Congress high command.

Shivakumar’s office, however, clarified that Muniyappa and Priyank were attending a meeting on the upcoming central cooperative bank elections.