Rebel Karnataka BJP leader says astrologer predicted DK Shivakumar will be CM after jail term: Report

There was stiff competition between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar for the chief minister's post after the declaration of Assembly election results in May 2023.

In a bold statement on Thursday, former BJP minister and rebel leader S T Somashekar expressed confidence that Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar is destined to become Karnataka’s next Chief Minister.

Karnataka deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar. (PTI)

According to a Deccan Herald report, he was reflecting on a prophecy made nearly 25 years ago by astrologer Dwarkanath. Somashekar also recalled the foretelling that Shivakumar would face imprisonment before eventually assuming the top post.

Sharing the astrologer’s words, Somashekar said as quoted by the pubilcation, “The first part of the prediction, about his imprisonment, has already happened. I have no doubt that the second part will also come true soon.”

DK Shivakumar vs Siddaramaiah

There was stiff competition between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar for the chief minister's post after the declaration of Assembly election results in May 2023, and the Congress had managed to convince the latter and made him the deputy chief minister.

There were some reports at the time that a compromise had been reached based on a "rotational chief minister formula," according to which Shivakumar will become CM after two-and-half years, but they have not been officially confirmed by the party.

Recently, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara rejected any power-sharing agreement involving Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar, before Congress formed a government.

"We don't know about any agreement. I don't know. I asked two-three people about it, both in Delhi and here. No one was saying that there was an agreement. I don't know the context in which Shivakumar had spoken," Parameshwara said in response to a question.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah too had clarified that there was no such agreement.

"If there was such agreement, why should we all be there? Let them both (CM and DCM) do politics and do things. Shouldn't others be there? Such things are not possible. Ultimately, the high command will decide. We are not distant from the high command. We abide by the high command's decision. We don't know about any such agreements," he added.