The leadership tusssle in Karnataka appears to have reached its peak with supporters of both Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar raising slogans in support of their respective leaders at Mangaluru airport on Wednesday.
Adding fuel to the speculations, Shivakumar arrived in the national capital in the evening. Though the KPCC president clarified that he was going to Delhi to attend a marriage ceremony, it is believed that he is likely to hold brief meetings with the Congress high command to discuss the alleged power-sharing formula.
"No political agenda. I have come here for the wedding of my friend's son," he told reporters in the national capital.
Shivakumar also claimed that as the party’s state president, it was his responsibility to oversee arrangements for the December 14 rally in the national capital on the issue of ‘Vote Chori’, where over 10,000 people from Karnataka are expected to participate.
“I just wanted to discuss with my colleagues and other friends what arrangements we can make. As the party president (of KarnatakaCongress), I have the responsibility for all these things. I will return early morning (on Thursday) because I have a cabinet meeting at 11 o'clock," Shivakumar said.
The Deputy CM also sought to downplay the airport incident, saying there was nothing wrong with people showing their love and affection.
"This is normal. Some people chant Modi-Modi, others chant DK-DK, others chant Rahul-Rahul, and others chant Siddu-Siddu. There is nothing wrong with it. People just show their love and affection, and we need to take it in a sporty way,” he said.
Meanwhile, asked about Shivakumar’s trip to Delhi, Siddaramaiah said he would visit the national capital only to meet top Congress leaders after being called by the party high command.
"Let him go. I will go only if I receive a call. I have not received a call so far," the chief minister said.
Both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar have already held two breakfast meetings and sought to send out a message of unity in front of the media, but, according to reports, the discussions failed to bring any major breakthrough as both leaders stuck to their stand.
At the heart of this power struggle is a purported understanding between the two leaders made in 2023, as per which Shivakumar would be made the chief minister once the government completed two and a half years in office.