Amidst political activity in Karnataka, D.K. Shivakumar met with Priyanka Gandhi, while CM Siddaramaiah also departed for Delhi. Both leaders dismissed speculations of a leadership change.
karnataka: Political maneuvering has once again intensified. The Delhi visits of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, their meetings with senior Congress leaders, and organizational meetings have fueled speculation about a leadership change in the state. Although both top leaders have clearly denied this, these meetings in the capital, Delhi, have heated up state politics.
D.K. Shivakumar's Activity in Delhi
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and state Congress president D.K. Shivakumar recently arrived in Delhi and met with Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. This meeting took place at a time when discussions about cabinet reshuffles and organizational changes in the state are gaining momentum. According to information, Shivakumar met Priyanka Gandhi at 10 Janpath and discussed organizational activities in the state. Additionally, he also met with the Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and the Minister of Jal Shakti. Shivakumar said that his trips and meetings are solely aimed at strengthening government work and the party organization, and not related to any political discontent or change.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also departs for Delhi
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also left for Delhi on Wednesday. He is scheduled to meet with Defense Minister Rajnath Singh in Delhi. Although this meeting is being formally described as related to government work, political circles are abuzz with the discussion that this visit may not be merely a formality, but rather part of the political upheaval happening behind the scenes. For some time now, there has been a heated discussion about whether there is any internal disagreement between D.K. Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah or whether the Congress leadership is considering a 'chief minister by rotation' formula.
What did Shivakumar say on speculations of a leadership change?
When D.K. Shivakumar was asked whether there was any plan to change the Chief Minister in Karnataka, he smiled and said, "This is all in your minds, not in my eyes and ears." He also said, "There is no cabinet reshuffle going to happen. Our government is stable, and the party is working unitedly."
Meeting with Rahul Gandhi also planned
According to sources, D.K. Shivakumar will also meet Rahul Gandhi soon. This meeting is also believed to be regarding upcoming organizational changes and appointments of party leadership at the district level. The party leadership is quite active regarding the appointment of presidents of approximately 30-40 District Congress Committees in Karnataka.
Siddaramaiah's clear statement: 'I will remain Chief Minister for five years'
Amidst the speculations of a leadership change, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah tried to dismiss all speculations by making a big statement a few days ago. He clearly stated, "I will remain the Chief Minister for the entire five years. No one should have any doubt about this. The Congress party is completely united, and our government is as b as a rock." Through this statement, an attempt was made to convey the message that there is no power struggle within the party and that the leadership will remain stable.
Preparation for organizational changes in the party
The Congress party has stated that the main objective of the meetings taking place in Delhi is to strengthen the organization in Karnataka. Party General Secretary Randeep Surjewala is also meeting with MLAs and leaders. According to sources, the party will soon announce new district committees and reorganize the state unit from an electoral perspective.
