Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Mar 4: Amid internal strife within the Karnataka Congress, state Congress president and deputy chief minister D K Shivakumar met AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge at his Bengaluru residence on Tuesday. The brief 20-minute meeting has sparked speculation, especially following a statement by former union minister and former chief minister Veerappa Moily, who asserted that nothing could prevent Shivakumar from becoming the chief minister.

Shivakumar loyalist and MLA Basavaraju Shivaganga further fuelled the buzz by stating that Shivakumar would take over as chief minister in December and lead the party into the next Assembly elections.

Addressing the media post-meeting, Shivakumar downplayed the political chatter, stating, "Kharge is our national president. If I do not respect him, then who else should I respect? I am overseeing the construction of our new office and sought his availability for the ground-breaking ceremony. Nothing beyond this was discussed."

Reacting to Moily's remarks, chief minister Siddaramaiah maintained his stance, saying, "The statements of former union minister Veerappa Moily or any other leaders are not important. The decision of the party high command is what matters, and we will abide by it."

Shivakumar also mentioned that Kharge had instructed party members not to discuss any leadership changes publicly. He characterized Moily’s comment as a personal opinion.

Meanwhile, BJP state president B Y Vijayendra said that Moily’s statement hinted at Shivakumar’s imminent rise to the chief minister's post and predicted swift political developments in the state.

Adding to the intrigue, Shivakumar’s recent holy dip at the Sangam in Prayagraj and his praise for Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath have raised eyebrows within Congress circles.