"What Option Do I Have?" DK Shivakumar Says Will Stand By Siddaramaiah

Minutes after Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's "Yes, I will continue" resolve, his deputy DK Shivakumar responded with: "What option do I have? I have to stand by him and support him."

Mr Siddaramaiah has made it clear that he intends to serve the full five-year term in office, pushing back against speculation of a mid-term change in leadership. "Yes, I will [continue as Chief Minister]. Why do you have doubts?" he told reporters today, rejecting claims by the BJP and JD(S) of an imminent change. "Are they the Congress high command?" he asked rhetorically.

The remarks came amid questions over the future of the Congress-led administration in the state, following a tussle between Mr Siddaramaiah and his deputy, DK Shivakumar, and growing restlessness among certain party MLAs.

Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar recently said, "There is no discord or unhappiness among legislators. We are only giving out responsibility and fixing accountability among MLAs. I will give notice to Iqbal [Hussain] and anyone else who talks out of line."

Mr Shivakumar distanced himself from speculation that he is seeking to replace Mr Siddaramaiah, saying, "What option do I have? I have to stand by him and support him. I don't have any objection to it. Whatever the party high command tells and whatever they decide, it will be fulfilled. I haven't told anyone to speak in favour of me. It's not needed. When there is a Chief Minister, there is no question of such statements. Many have worked for the party; it's not just me. Lakhs of party workers have toiled for the party, let's first think of them."

Questions over Karnataka Congress leadership have lingered since the party's victory in the May 2023 Assembly elections, when Mr Shivakumar's supporters hoped he would be rewarded with the top post. Eventually, Mr Siddaramaiah, with majority support among the 135 elected MLAs, was appointed Chief Minister, while Mr Shivakumar settled for the roles of Deputy Chief Minister and KPCC President.

In an interview with NDTV, Karnataka IT and Rural Development Minister Priyank Kharge, the son of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, dismissed speculation of a change. "I am not sure what you mean by clarity. When the Karnataka Congress President, deputy chief minister, Mr Siddaramaiah, the chief minister, and Mr Kharge, the Congress national president, have all said no decision will be taken on any of the issues. We will decide what needs to be done. And there is, as of now, nothing on the plate. Nothing in front of us," Mr Kharge told NDTV. 

Despite repeated calls for restraint, several Congress MLAs have publicly supported Mr Shivakumar. Among them is Iqbal Hussain, who claimed that 100 of the 138 Congress MLAs back the Deputy Chief Minister. Mr Hussain warned that the Congress "may not return to power" if the high command does not heed calls for a change in leadership.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah dismissed such talk during a visit to Mysuru, stating, "This government will be as solid as a 'bande' (rock) for five years."

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