Will talk in 2026, says Karnataka DyCM Shivakumar on becoming CM

Bengaluru: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Tuesday indicated that his chief ministerial hopes were alive.

Asked if he would become the CM in 2026, Shivakumar said, "We'll talk about it in 2026."

Shivakumar said his resolution was to provide good governance in the new year. "I pray that the state receives good rains next year, too, like this year. Our guarantee schemes will continue to empower people. Local body elections will also be held next year,” he said.

Asked if good governance will be under his leadership, Shivakumar said, “Good governance will continue under the Congress government." He added that Congress' good governance will continue for "another 7.5 years", a reference to his belief that his party would win the 2028 elections, too.

Meanwhile, Home Minister G Parameshwara said the Congress high command would have to decide on the chief ministerial tussle before budget preparation starts in February.

"Someone will have to prepare the budget, right? The budget preparation will begin in February. There's roughly one month. If the high command has to decide anything, they should do so before that," Parameshwara said.

"The budget has to be presented based on the assurances we have given to the people of the state. It will be done," Parameshwara said.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said in November that he would present the 2026-27 Budget, which will be his 17th outing as the finance minister.

Parameshwara, a Dalit, is a chief ministerial candidate himself. Recently, during the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting in Delhi, a group of Parameshwara's supporters held a demonstration demanding that he be made the CM. "Those who say that Prameshwara should become CM have said it out of affection towards me. How can I ask them not to say such things," he said.

On reports that one section of Congress leaders had asked party general secretary KC Venugopal that Parameshwara should become the CM, the home minister said: "The Congress high command will have all the information. They'll obtain information from the general secretary and get other details in their own way."

Parameshwara said the high command will decide what to do when. "Whether the leadership should be changed or not...this will be decided by them."