'Congress high command advised to discuss with Shivakumar': Siddaramaiah breaks silence on Karnataka CM tussle

As the tussle for power escalates in Karnataka, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah revealed on Friday that the Congress high command indeed advised him to discuss the issue with Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar. Siddaramaiah's revelations have only made the tiff even murkier.

Talking to reporters, Siddaramaiah said, "High command told D.K. Shivakumar that we should meet and discuss. But my stand is, whatever high command says, I will go by it," ANI reported. Siddaramaiah's comments come on a day when the two tall leaders of the Karnataka Congress were seen together after a long time at a public event.

Putting the leadership in a fix, leaders from both factions have been lobbying the Congress high command for the past few days. Recently, when Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge visited the state, Siddaramaiah had a closed-door meeting with the leader. 

Earlier in the day, Karnataka Congress chief Shivakumar said they would act "as per the guidance" of the high command. "Delhi will always guide us. When they call me, party leaders and CM, we will go there," Shivakumar said. The Congress leader also said party workers may be eager, but he is in no hurry to become the chief minister.

Meanwhile, senior Congress leader from Karnataka, M. Veerappa Moily, said the party's high command must intervene and resolve the issue soon. "Silence is disastrous. I don't think this is the time to remain silent, and Congress's high command needs to step forward and say 'Don't continue this kind of lobbying'.

Moily said the power-sharing formula has never helped Congress, and if the party is proceeding with the idea, "they must implement it without hesitation."