Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Monday declined to address speculation over a leadership change in the state, even as Chief Minister Siddaramaiah confirmed he had been summoned to New Delhi for a meeting with the Congress national leadership at 11 am on Tuesday. The silence from Shivakumar — the state Congress chief and a widely acknowledged contender for the Chief Minister's post — has deepened political intrigue around Karnataka's ruling coalition.

Shivakumar Sidesteps Leadership Question

Speaking at a joint press conference at the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee office in Bengaluru, Shivakumar pointedly refused to engage when asked whether discussions on the Chief Minister's post would feature in Siddaramaiah's Delhi visit. 'I do not know anything about that issue, and I will not react to it,' he said. When pressed on whether he himself would travel to Delhi amid the swirling speculation, Shivakumar kept his answer conditional. 'If the party calls us, we will go. If Surjewala asks me to come to Delhi, I will go. Otherwise, I will stay here. We have to go whenever the party calls,' he said, referring to Congress General Secretary in charge of Karnataka, Randeep Singh Surjewala.

The Congress-BJP Contrast on Governance

Shivakumar also responded to questions about the Congress government's guarantee schemes amid rising inflation, drawing a sharp contrast with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). 'They do politics based on emotions linked to caste and religion. We do politics based on people's lives, sweat and hard work,' he said. The remarks come as the ruling Congress faces pressure over the fiscal burden of its welfare commitments, even as the BJP has sought to capitalise on inflationary concerns.

Shivakumar's 2028 Confidence

Commenting on reports that BJP President Nitin Nabin had directed party leaders to prepare for a return to power in Karnataka by 2028, Shivakumar was unequivocal. He recalled that Home Minister Amit Shah had once predicted 122 seats for the BJP in Karnataka, while Shivakumar himself had projected 136 seats for Congress — a forecast that proved accurate. 'Even today, I am saying this — write it down — D.K. Shivakumar and the Congress party will return to power in Karnataka in 2028,' he declared.

What the Delhi Trip Signals

Siddaramaiah's summons to the national capital comes amid persistent reports of friction within the Karnataka Congress over the power-sharing arrangement that has been a subject of discussion since the party's decisive 2023 assembly election victory. Notably, this is not the first time the two leaders' relationship has attracted scrutiny — questions over a potential mid-term leadership transition have surfaced periodically since the government took office. The outcome of Tuesday's meeting with the central leadership is expected to either settle or intensify those conversations.