Siddaramaiah

Rahul Gandhi, high command to decide on Karnataka CM issue: Siddaramaiah

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday said that ultimately, Congress top leader Rahul Gandhi and the party high command have to take a decision on the CM change issue, and everyone will abide by their decision. He said that he has spoken to the high command, and the leadership have told him that they will decide. The CM's statement came a day after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said that the confusion over the leadership issue in the party's Karnataka unit exists only at the local level and not within the party high command. He had also said that the local leaders should take ownership of the internal disputes rather than blaming the high command. "I don't know about it. Rahul Gandhi and the high command have to decide. Whatever they decide, I'm committed to it," Siddaramaiah told reporters here in response to a question on Kharge's statement. Speaking to reporters here, he said, "I have spoken to the high command. They have said that they will decide. I will abi

Congress high command will call us at 'appropriate time': DK Shivakumar

With the leadership issue involving him and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah coming to the fore again, deputy CM DK Shivakumar on Saturday said the Congress high command has told the two leaders as to when they will be called to Delhi to to discuss the matter. He said that both of them will go to Delhi and meet the high command, when summoned. "I will inform you, I won't do anything without informing you. I will not go hiding from you," Shivakumar told reporters here in response to a question on him and Siddaramaiah's likely visit to the national capital to meet the party high command after the just concluded legislature session. Asked if there was any invitation from the high command, asking him and CM to come to Delhi, he said, "they have told something to both of us, they have told both of us over phone as to when they will call us. We will go, both of us will go." "They (high command) have said they will call both of us at the appropriate time, we will wait for the call," the Karnat

Siddaramaiah rejects power-sharing theory, says will remain Karnataka CM

Speculation over whether DK Shivakumar would be appointed CM by the Congress high command persisted for a few days and was subsequently clarified by the party after the two leaders met for breakfast

Karnataka power tussle: CM Siddaramaiah attends Satish Jarkiholi's dinner

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, along with a group of Ministers and legislators, attended a dinner hosted by senior Minister Satish Jarkiholi here on December 18, official sources said. The dinner meeting held at the residence of Jarkiholi, who is considered close to Siddaramaiah, has sparked speculations amid the ongoing power tussle within the ruling Congress over the CM post. According to sources, the attendees included Ministers G Parameshwara, H C Mahadevappa, B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan, M C Sudhakar, and MLA A S Ponnanna. All of them are considered close to Siddaramaiah. The gathering followed a dinner the previous night, where Jarkiholi hosted over thirty like-minded legislators at a hotel here. While Siddaramaiah skipped it, his son and MLC Yathindra Siddaramaiah, confidant and MLA K N Rajanna, were among those who were present. The dinner meetings come a week after over 30 Congress legislators, including some Ministers, met for dinner along with Deputy Chief Minister D

Dy CM Shivakumar will become K'taka CM on January 6, says Congress MLA

A ruling Congress MLA, H A Iqbal Hussain, on Saturday predicted that Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar will become Chief Minister on January 6. He said the post, presently occupied by Siddaramaiah, should be vacated for Shivakumar. Shivakumar should be given a chance to become chief minister, the Ramanagara MLA told reporters. "There is a 99 per cent chance that he becomes chief minister on January 6," Hussain, who is a staunch supporter of Shivakumar, said. When asked what significance the date has, he said, "I don't know. It's just a random number. Everybody is saying this. It can either be January 6 or 9. These are the two dates." Hussain has been demanding that Shivakumar should be made the chief minister. On Friday, he had made his wish public. Meanwhile, Union Minister of State for Railways and a BJP MP, V Somanna, said that he is supporting Home Minister G Parameshwara for the CM post. "Getting power is luck. I never dreamt that Parameshwara would remain just as the Hom

Karnataka Dy CM, over 30 Congress legislators, ministers meet for dinner

Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and over 30 Congress legislators, including some ministers, met for a dinner late on Thursday night, party sources said. Ministers K H Muniyappa, Mankal Vaidya, Dr M C Sudhakar, MLAs N A Haris, Ramesh Bandisiddegowda, H C Balakrishna, Ganesh Hukkeri, Darshan Dhruvanarayana, Ashok Kumar Rai, K Y Nanjegowda were among those present in the meeting, the sources added. Expelled BJP MLAs ST Somashekhar and Shivaram Hebbar also attended the dinner, they said. The dinner meeting came a day after CM Siddaramaiah, along with ministers and a few legislators considered close to him, met for a dinner hosted by former Belagavi North MLA Feroz Sait. Though leaders term it a casual dinner meeting, speculation is rife as it had taken place amid a power tussle in the ruling party, over the CM post. There were speculations about a change in chief minister when the Congress government reached the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20, as it was believe

No leadership change in Karnataka, claims CM Siddaramaiah's son Yathindra

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's son Yathindra Siddaramaiah on Thursday reiterated that there is no leadership change in Karnataka. The Congress MLC further said that there was no power tussle in the state. Speculation about a leadership change had intensified after the Congress government crossed the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20, fuelled by talk of an alleged power-sharing arrangement between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar dating back to 2023. Recently, the chief minister and deputy CM held breakfast meetings at each other's residences on instructions from the party high commanda move seen as an attempt to pause the leadership tussle and signal Siddaramaiah's continuation as chief minister for now, especially ahead of the Belagavi legislature session. They also clarified that they will abide by the party high command's decision. "There is no tussle over CM post. This I have told you already. Now everything is clear. The high command has clearly said as of now there

'We are united': Siddaramaiah, Shivakumar reject leadership-change buzz

Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah and his deputy DK Shivakumar said there were no differences between them, attempting to end speculation over a possible leadership shift in the state

Karnataka power tussle: Shivakumar to meet CM Siddaramaiah over breakfast

The meeting follows a high-level interaction between the two leaders on Saturday morning at Siddaramaiah's Cauvery residence

CM Siddaramaiah to visit Shivakumar's residence on Dec 2 amid unity push

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is scheduled to visit his deputy D K Shivakumar's residence on December 2, in an effort to demonstrate unity and a truce following months of power tussle within the ruling Congress in the state, official sources said on Monday. This comes days after Shivakumar visited the CM's residence for a similar breakfast meeting. Following the initial meeting held as per the directive of the Congress high command, both leaders had publicly stated that there won't be any confusion. On the leadership issue, Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar maintained that they would obey the high command. The development is seen as a move by the high command to pause the leadership tussle between the two, and signals Siddaramaiah's continuation as the CM for time being, especially ahead of the legislature session from December 8. As told by the CM on Saturday, he is scheduled to visit Shivakumar's residence for breakfast tomorrow, official sources said. The power tussle within

Shivakumar rules out differences of opinion with Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Sunday once again dismissed reports of internal differences with CM Siddaramaiah, asserting that he never took any MLAs to Delhi amid speculation over leadership changes that had erupted earlier. However, on Saturday, the two leaders had a breakfast meeting after which they put up a united front, denying any difference between them. "We never had differences of opinion. I never took a single MLA whenever I went to Delhi. I could have taken at least 10 to 12 MLAs. That does not serve any purpose," Shivakumar told reporters here. He said that he being the Karnataka Pradesh Congress president is like a "father figure" to all the party members. "I have to take everyone along. All 140 MLAs are dear to me. I never differentiate with anyone. I have no differences of opinion with anyone," the Deputy CM said. Recalling his efforts during H D Kumaraswamy's tenure as chief minister for a year from May 2018, he said, "I tried my best to save t

Siddaramaiah-Shivakumar meet clears air over Karnataka leadership row

Breakfast meeting between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar helped settle speculation over leadership issues, with leaders asserting there are no differences and they will follow the high command's guidance

CM Siddaramaiah invites Dy CM Shivakumar for talks amid leadership row

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday said he invited his deputy D K Shivakumar for a meeting over breakfast on November 29 to discuss amid the heightened leadership row. Speaking to reporters here, Siddaramaiah said, "The party high command had called me and him (D K Shivkumar) and asked us to have a meeting. Hence, I have invited him for breakfast tomorrow. We will discuss when he comes," Siddaramaiah said. "There is no change in my stand and I have said I will listen to whatever the high command says. Both of us have said that we will obey whatever the party high command says," he added. The chief minister also said that he will go to Delhi if the high command calls him.

Congress has 'sense of timing' to resolve leadership issue: Priyank Kharge

Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge on Friday said the Congress high command possesses the sense of timing to resolve the intensifying "power tussle" between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar. He said the 130-year-old party will intervene at the right time. Speaking to reporters, the minister said Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar have agreed to travel to Delhi for a meeting when summoned by the party high command. "Nobody has given any official invitation or statement on the meeting in New Delhi. The CM and the Deputy CM have said that they will go to Delhi if they are invited by the Congress president or AICC general secretary and Karnataka in charge Randeep Singh Surjewala. Let the invitation come from Delhi, then only it will be decided," Kharge, who is Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's son, said. Asked about the increasing confusion, Kharge said, "The high command has the sense of timing. It will take a call, keeping in mind the right time." He urged peo

Will settle CM leadership issue after talks with senior leaders: Kharge

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday said he will call for a meeting of senior leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D K Shivakumar in New Delhi to discuss the raging leadership issue in Karnataka. He said the leaders will discuss on the way forward and settle the issue, and there by put an end to the "confusion" that is there. The power tussle within the ruling party has intensified, amid speculations about chief minister change in the state after the Congress government reached the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20, in the backdrop of an alleged "power-sharing" agreement involving Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar in 2023. "After going to Delhi, I will call three-four important leaders and discuss. After the discussion, we will say how to go ahead; there by put an end to the confusion," Kharge told reporters here. Asked of the CM and his deputy will be called to Delhi, he said, "we should certainly call them and discuss.

Priyank Kharge denies talks with Rahul Gandhi on Karnataka CM change

Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge on Wednesday played down reports that he has held discussions with top Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on the leadership change issue in the state, during a recent meeting, and has conveyed the latter's message to CM Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D K Shivakumar. Maintaining that the Congress high command will decide and give clarity on the issue of CM change in Karnataka, he said, he met Gandhi to explain about KEO (Knowledge-driven, Economical, Open-source), an AI-ready personal computer, that was launched during the recent Bengaluru tech summit, and to discuss on "vote chori" cases in the state. The power tussle within the ruling party has intensified, amid speculations about chief minister change in the state, after the Congress government reached the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20, citing purported "power-sharing" agreement involving Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar in 2023. According to reports Kharge has conveyed Rahul Gandhi's messa

'Will stay CM if party decides': Siddaramaiah amid leadership change buzz

As the Congress government hits its mid-term in Karnataka, CM Siddaramaiah said he will stay on if the high command decides

Siddaramaiah vows to stay on as Karnataka CM amid leadership tussle

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday asserted that he would continue in office and also present state budgets in the future. His statement comes amidst an intense power struggle in the ruling Congress, with the D K Shivakumar camp mounting pressure on the party high command for a leadership change. At least 15 MLAs and about a dozen MLCs have camped in New Delhi to push the party leadership to make Shivakumar the next Chief Minister, Congress sources said. According to reports, the demand is based on a power-sharing agreement reached in 2023, under which Siddaramaiah was to serve as the CM for two and a half years (till November 20) before making way for Shivakumar. Responding to a query on some MLAs and MLCs camping in Delhi, he said the Congress High Command has to decide on the leadership change, cabinet reshuffle or government restructuring. Has High Command spoken on it? We can't help it. Earlier also some people were discussing it, and now they might have gone (to

Siddaramaiah hints at continuing as CM, says will present Budget next year

Signalling that he will continue as the Chief Minister of Karnataka, Siddaramaiah has asserted that he would present his record 17th Budget next year. Siddaramaiah, who also holds the finance portfolio, presented his 16th budget in March. He was speaking at the golden jubilee of LG Havanur on Wednesday, marking submission of the first backward classes commission report. "When I first became finance minister, a newspaper wrote -- this Siddaramaiah (a Kuruba) can't count a hundred sheep, how will he function as Karnataka's finance minister -- I accepted this as a challenge..... I have presented 16 budgets. Next, I will present the 17th budget," Siddaramaiah said, drawing loud applause. The 2026-27 budget is likely to be presented in March next year, and preparatory work has already begun. Siddaramaiah's comments come amid speculations about a possible leadership change in the state, when the Congress government reaches the halfway mark of its five-year term in November. There was s

Karnataka plans ascent into India's space orbit with $22 billion target

State eyes $3 bn in investment and a 50% national share as it ramps up upstream, downstream activities