“We will follow High Command’s decision,” Siddaramaiah & Shivakumar present united front
Bengaluru:
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Friday sought to draw a line under weeks of speculation about internal tensions in the Karnataka government, asserting that both leaders will abide by the decisions and directions of the Congress High Command.
In a joint press conference held after a breakfast meeting at the Chief Minister’s residence, Siddaramaiah said he and Shivakumar had agreed to “move forward together”, emphasising that neither ministers nor MLAs were working against the government.
“We have decided that both of us will act exactly as the High Command instructs,” the Chief Minister said.
He added that the party leadership had asked the two leaders to clear any misunderstandings before the Assembly session begins. “From tomorrow, there will be no confusion. Even now, there is none. We will keep the High Command informed about our understanding,” he said.
Siddaramaiah criticised sections of the media for “creating confusion” over relations between the CM and DCM. Some MLAs may have travelled to Delhi regarding cabinet reshuffle discussions, he said, but “this should not be given a different interpretation”.
Breakfast meeting arranged by High Command emissary
The CM said AICC General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala had contacted his legal adviser Ponnanna and asked that Shivakumar be invited for breakfast. “Shivakumar had already invited me home for lunch; we agreed that breakfast today would be convenient,” he said.
The meeting was attended by Shivakumar and the CM’s legal adviser.
Past tussle over CM’s post acknowledged indirectly
While neither leader explicitly mentioned the leadership strain that arose after the 2023 election, sources within the party have long confirmed that there was a prolonged tussle between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar over the Chief Minister’s post.
“In recent days, unnecessary confusion has been created. We spoke about this and discussed our strategies. The 2028 elections, along with corporation, taluk, district and gram panchayat polls, are crucial. We have decided to move forward together just as we did during the 2023 Assembly election campaign,” he said.
Siddaramaiah dismissed talk of factionalism.
“There are no differences between us – not now, and not in the future. The winter session in Belagavi begins on 8 December. We have handled the Opposition earlier and will continue to do so. The BJP and JD(S) rely on misinformation, baseless allegations and propaganda, and both the Deputy Chief Minister and I are prepared to counter them effectively,” he said.
The Chief Minister accused the BJP and JD(S) of fuelling rumours of a no-confidence motion.
“They are saying in the media that they will move a no-confidence motion. This is absurd. We have 142 members; they have only 64, and JD(S) has 18 — together just 82. This is a futile attempt. Whatever false allegations the Opposition makes, we will answer them strongly,” he asserted.
Shivakumar echoes unity
Shivakumar, speaking earlier, also stressed that he and the Chief Minister stood by the same political position on leadership and would follow the High Command’s decision. “We are loyal soldiers of the party. Our aim is to bring the Congress back to power in 2028 and 2029 under the leadership of Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi,” he said.
He added that the two leaders had discussed strategies to counter the Opposition in the winter session and that he would soon travel to Delhi to meet MPs regarding MSP for maize and sugarcane, as well as irrigation projects.