‘No agreement’: Siddaramaiah contradicts Shivakumar on power-sharing deal

There was stiff competition between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar for the CM's post after the declaration of Assembly election results in May last year.

Mandya/Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday rejected his deputy D K Shivakumar’s claim that they have a power-sharing agreement.

Earlier this week, in an interview to a private news channel, Shivakumar said he is waiting for his turn to become the chief minister.

“I have some love for the Gandhi family, which has kept this party united. I have to bow my head to loyalty. I feel that loyalty will pay royalty one day. I’m still waiting for that. We have some understanding. I don’t want to discuss that in the media. Let’s meet on that day,” Shivakumar said in the interview.

“There’s no agreement,” Siddaramaiah told reporters in Mandya. However, he added: “Whatever the high command decides, we’ll go by that.”

After the Congress stormed to power last year, there were speculations that Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar had forged a power-sharing agreement. While some believe that Siddaramaiah will make way for Shivakumar in a mid-term change of guard, it is also speculated that the transfer of power would happen after the CM presents the 2025-26 budget in February next year.

Shivakumar appeared to take Siddaramaiah’s statement in his stride.

“Once the CM has said, there’s no objection to it. What (CM) says is final. No objections. I’m always loyal to the chair; I’m loyal to the party. The CM has said...no (more) questions, no discussion, no debate,” Shivakumar said.

Asked if there was no pain, Shivakumar smiled: “I’ve responded to all that.”