Bengaluru, Dec 3 (NationPress) In the midst of the ongoing leadership conflict in Karnataka, Deputy Chief Minister and State Congress President D.K. Shivakumar departed for Delhi on Wednesday afternoon.

Simultaneously, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is hosting a luncheon with National General Secretary and Congress MP K.C. Venugopal in Mangaluru, alongside AHINDA leaders and ministers.

These developments have sparked new speculation.

Speaking to the press in Mangaluru prior to the luncheon, when questioned about Shivakumar's trip to Delhi, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah remarked, “Let him go. Who has prevented him?”

Regarding his own travel intentions, Siddaramaiah stated, “I will go to Delhi only if I receive an invitation. I haven't been invited, thus I won't be going. If anything of that nature was to occur, Venugopal would have informed me.”

Before heading to Delhi, Shivakumar commented, “I am going to Delhi. Initially, I must attend a private wedding ceremony this evening. It is the wedding of an IAS officer’s daughter who is a friend of mine. Furthermore, on December 14, there’s a significant event at Ramleela Maidan concerning vote-chori in Delhi. I have instructed all my cabinet ministers to bring 300 supporters from each district to Delhi. I have also communicated this to all MLAs.”

“We initiated the vote-chori campaign in this nation. It is crucial to participate in large numbers. The CM has also conveyed this message. There might be a possibility of the program being postponed,” he added.

When asked about Siddaramaiah and Venugopal attending an event together, Shivakumar said, “That’s positive. What’s wrong with Siddaramaiah meeting Venugopal? What’s wrong with him meeting AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge? They are discussing party affairs.”

Responding to inquiries about the slogans raised in favor of him and the Chief Minister, Shivakumar noted, “Supporters shout slogans. In politics, there will be slogans supporting us and opposing us. We cannot be overly concerned about it.”

According to the official itinerary, Shivakumar will attend a wedding ceremony at Hotel Le Meridien and stay overnight in Delhi. He will depart from Delhi at 8 a.m. on Thursday and arrive back in Bengaluru at 10:55 a.m.

Sources indicate that Shivakumar might hold informal discussions with national leaders during the wedding ceremony regarding the leadership conflict in Karnataka. He is also expected to meet national leaders during his overnight stay in Delhi, including Rahul Gandhi and Randeep Singh Surjewala.

Meanwhile, CM Siddaramaiah and K.C. Venugopal were observed engaged in a serious dialogue on stage during an event at Mangalore University. Post-event, Venugopal and Siddaramaiah lunched with Ministers G. Parameshwara, H.C. Mahadevappa, Satish Jarkiholi, Laxmi Hebbalkar, Dinesh Gundu Rao, Zameer Ahmad Khan, and MLC B.K. Hariprasad along with other prominent leaders.

Sources disclosed that Siddaramaiah plans to discuss matters with Venugopal along with ministers aligned with the AHINDA group.

When questioned about the luncheon meeting, Minister for Women and Child Welfare Laxmi Hebbalkar stated, “There will be no political discussions. I cannot say anything about it. You (media) need to ask the leaders.”

Significantly, Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar was not invited to the event attended by Siddaramaiah and Venugopal. Sources suggest that the platform is being utilized to demonstrate Siddaramaiah’s strength and send a clear message to the high command.

Earlier that day, Shivakumar’s supporters raised slogans urging that he be appointed Chief Minister, while followers of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah countered with chants of “Siddu full-term CM” upon his arrival in Mangaluru.

Pro-Shivakumar slogans were also heard earlier when Congress General Secretary and Lok Sabha member K.C. Venugopal arrived in Mangaluru, placing him in a difficult position at the airport.

Subsequently, a significant number of supporters, led by local leaders, raised slogans after Siddaramaiah left the airport and received state honors from the district administration. In response, Siddaramaiah’s supporters echoed slogans backing him, further complicating the situation for the party.

Senior leader and Congress MLC Ivan D’Souza was seen chanting “Siddu full-term CM” and encouraging others to follow suit.

With the exception of Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar, most ministers present at the event align with the AHINDA group, of which Siddaramaiah is perceived as the leader.

AHINDA is an acronym in Kannada for Alpasankhyataru (Minorities), Hindulidavaru (Backward Classes), and Dalitaru (Dalits). Minister Hebbalkar, who oversees Udupi district, is a close ally of Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar.