‘Word is not power unless…’: Siddaramaiah responds to DK Shivakumar amid power tussle

In an apparent response to his deputy DK Shivakumar, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday said that a word is not power unless it betters the world for the people.

“A Word is not power unless it betters the World for the people,” Siddaramaiah said, highlighting his government’s achievements during the 2.5 years of current term.

Advertisement

Amid simmering power tussles in the state, Siddaramaiah asserted that the mandate given by the people of Karnataka is not a moment, but a responsibility that lasts five years.

“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,” he said, adding, “Our Word to Karnataka is not a slogan, it means the World to us.”

His remarks came hours after his deputy DK Shivakumar’s cryptic post on X.

Shivakumar posted a black and white picture of himself and wrote: “Keeping one’s word is the greatest strength in the world!” The image also carried another message, “Word Power is World Power. The biggest force in the world is to keep one’s word. Be it a judge, president or anyone else including myself — everyone has to walk the talk.”

ಕೊಟ್ಟ ಮಾತು ಉಳಿಸಿಕೊಳ್ಳುವುದೇ ವಿಶ್ವದಲ್ಲಿರುವ ದೊಡ್ಡ ಶಕ್ತಿ! pic.x.com/klregNRUtv

— DK Shivakumar (@DKShivakumar) November 27, 2025

The post is seen as a reference to the unofficial power-sharing formula between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, which has fueled the ongoing power tussle.

When the Congress won the 2023 Assembly elections in Karnataka, the Siddaramaiah-Shivakumar duo were the contenders for the CM post.

Although the Congress went with Siddaramaiah to lead the state, there were reports of a power-sharing formula the party apparently reached to pacify Shivakumar.

As per the alleged formula, Siddaramaiah would lead the state for the first 2.5 years and Shivakumar would take over. However, neither the Congress nor the two leaders publicly confirmed any such agreement.

Now that Siddaramaiah is completing his 2.5 years in November, speculation about a leadership change in Karnataka has intensified.

Earlier today, Siddaramaiah’s son Yathindra Siddaramaiah had reiterated that his father would continue as CM as he has the support of MLAs.

“Siddaramaiah will continue as CM of Karnataka as there are no complaints against him, he has worked well for the state and has the support of MLAs,” said Yathindra.