Amid the ongoing power tussle in Karnataka between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy DK Shivakumar, the Congress party on Friday once again sought to project unity in the state unit. Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge rejected talk of any change in leadership in the state, stressing that the party is united and will remain so.
When asked by reporters to comment on the reasons behind his meeting with DK Shivakumar amid denial of any leadership change, Kharge said he met the Deputy Chief Minister to discuss an administrative issue.
Kharge told reporters today, “If I have an administrative problem, I will go to my CM and Deputy CM. I wanted clarification in the urban body. That is why I came. Tomorrow, if I meet Kharge also, you will ask what you discussed politically? Unnecessary speculation is not necessary.”
Speaking further on the issue, Kharge said there was no confusion in the party on the issue, and the ambiguity was in the minds of media persons and the BJP people. “What did the CM say? High command. So, where is the ambiguity coming from? The ambiguity is only in the media and the BJP, not in public or with Congress,” he said.
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The remarks came amid speculation that Shivakumar is expected to leave for Delhi today for a possible meeting with the senior Congress leadership, including party president Mallikarjun Kharge and Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi.
Priyank Kharge further said the media should not read too much into party-related matters, adding that if the high command summons the CM and his deputy, they will go.
“I don’t know where this information is coming from. Everyone said that if our in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala or the AICC president summons, they will go. The Chief Minister and DCM have already said that if the high command summons them, they will go. Let them call, and we will see. The high command will assess the time and the situation and then decide. It is nothing new. The party has been carried forward for 130 years. Whenever intervention is needed, they will do it,” Kharge clarified.
He also refused to confirm speculation that Rahul Gandhi will meet the two Karnataka leaders. “How do you know? CM, DCM, KPCC president, or as a cabinet minister, even I don’t know. They will intervene at the right time when it is necessary,” Kharge stated.
Sidda-DKS rift explained
There is a growing speculation of a rift between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, who is reportedly eyeing the chief minister’s post following the completion of two and a half years of the Congress government in the state.
When the Congress government was formed in 2023, Shivakumar had lobbied for the CM post then as well, but the party picked Siddaramaiah for the role. However, it was then reported that the party put Siddaramaiah in charge of the government under a “secret” 2.5-year deal, as part of which Shivakumar will take over the CM post following the completion of half the term of the government. The same happened on November 20.
Yesterday, in a cryptic post on X, Shivakumar posted an image that read: “Word power is world power. The biggest force in the world was to keep one’s word.”
The message was seen aimed at Siddaramaiah, who is reported to have agreed to the secret power-sharing agreement. However, hours later, the CM responded with his own cryptic post where he also mentioned the achievements of his tenure.
“A Word is not power unless it betters the World for the people. In my first term (2013–18), 157 of 165 promises were fulfilled with over 95% delivery. In this term, 243+ promises out of 593 are already completed, and every remaining promise will be fulfilled with commitment, credibility, and care. The mandate given by the people of Karnataka is not a moment, but a responsibility that lasts five full years. The Congress party, including me, is walking the talk for our people with compassion, consistency, and courage. Our Word to Karnataka is not a slogan, it means the World to us,” the CM wrote on X.
A Word is not power unless it betters the World for the people.
Proud to declare that the Shakti scheme has delivered over 600 crore free trips to the women of our state. From the very first month of forming the government, we transformed our guarantees into action; not in… pic.x.com/lke1J7MnbD
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) November 27, 2025
Now, whose word carries more weight and power within the Congress remains to be seen and is likely to be known in the next few days.