BENGALURU: LEADER of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi meeting both Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D K Shivakumar on the tarmac of Mysuru airport on Tuesday, albeit briefly, has reignited the leadership aspirations of both camps. Rahul, in a tete-a-tete, invited both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar to Delhi to discuss the issue of change in leadership and cabinet reshuffle, informed sources said.
Rahul met both the leaders for 90 seconds each.
“Rahul has called both the CM and Deputy CM to Delhi for talks, and all the confusion will be resolved. I am not sure about the dates... it may be after the Sankranti festival. There was a demand for a cabinet reshuffle and I too want to become a minister,” Chief Whip of Congress in the Assembly and senior legislator Ashok Pattan told reporters in Bengaluru on Wednesday. Pattan, who is identified in the Siddaramaiah camp, was a witness to the event at Mysuru airport. But both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar have not confirmed whether Rahul called them to Delhi or not.
Shivakumar said that he would not like to talk publicly about what transpired between him and his party leaders. “I am the KPCC president and Rahul Gandhi is the LoP in Lok Sabha. My welcoming him (Rahul) is the protocol, and how can I discuss it publicly? You (media) are creating confusion. We have neither given any message to anyone nor have we got any message from anyone. Our leaders have told us to continue the good work we are doing. I updated Rhaul about the programmes we are doing about MGNREGA,” Shivakumar said. Shivakumar said he would travel to Delhi on January 16.
Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara also advocated for the Congress high command to clear the air over the issue of a change in leadership. The mood is upbeat in Shivakumar’s camp too as they are waiting with bated breath for the top brass’ decision on CM change.
The 90-second talk Shivakumar had with Rahul seemingly boosted the morale of the former’s supporters. They believe that Shivakumar, who was denied an audience by Rahul, certainly might have used the opportunity to remind the latter about the change in leadership. Shivakumar’s relative and Kunigal MLA Dr Ranganath told reporters that something good will happen to Shivakumar after Sankranti. “The MLAs and party workers will get sweet news,” he quipped.
On a post on ‘X’, former MP DK Suresh, younger brother of DK Shivakumar, said, “The first step towards success is an effort, rigorous efforts will bring success’ which has been interpreted otherwise, linking to the change in leadership.”
But political analysts observed that drastic changes, even a reshuffle or a change in leadership, are unlikely anytime soon as Siddaramaiah has asserted that he will present the budget for 2026-27 tentatively on March 5.
Meanwhile, DK Shivakumar and his brother, former MP DK Suresh, met AICC chief Mallikarjun Kharge and discussed the political developments for an hour on Wednesday evening.