A day after Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah firmly ruled out any possibility of a leadership change, his deputy D K Shivakumar made a cryptic comment that has reignited political chatter around the Congress’s power-sharing dynamics in the state.
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Speaking at the Kempegowda Jayanti celebrations hosted by the Bangalore Bar Association on Friday, Shivakumar made a statement loaded with metaphor, “There are so many chairs, come and sit. It is difficult to find a chair. When you find a chair, you have to come and sit on the raft. If you look at yourself, you look like tyagis.”
Siddaramaiah denies any changes in CM post
Though directed at lawyers attending the event, the remark has been widely interpreted as a subtle political message, given its timing and context. This comes on the heels of CM Siddaramaiah’s strong rebuttal on Thursday in New Delhi, where he dismissed all rumours of a leadership transition.
“I am still the Chief Minister of Karnataka. Where is the vacancy? D K Shivakumar himself has said there is no change in leadership. I’m reiterating the same,” Siddaramaiah told reporters, firmly shutting down the ongoing buzz about him stepping aside mid-term.
{{/usCountry}}“I am still the Chief Minister of Karnataka. Where is the vacancy? D K Shivakumar himself has said there is no change in leadership. I’m reiterating the same,” Siddaramaiah told reporters, firmly shutting down the ongoing buzz about him stepping aside mid-term.
{{/usCountry}}The talk of a power-sharing agreement, allegedly to transfer the reins to Shivakumar halfway through the government’s five-year term, has been circulating since the Congress returned to power in 2023. With the government completing 2.5 years in November 2025, the speculation has gained momentum in recent months.
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However, both leaders have repeatedly denied that any such deal exists. Siddaramaiah maintains he will complete his full term, while Shivakumar has so far publicly toed the party line, even as remarks like the one on Friday hint at underlying tensions or future aspirations.
The party maintained despite these occasional flare-ups, the Congress high command has not initiated any formal discussion on altering the leadership in Karnataka.