Amid Karnataka CM tussle, Shivakumar heads to Delhi, Siddaramaiah says he ‘will go only if party calls’

Shivakumar clarified to reporters that he was going to Delhi to attend a wedding and plan for a party event, saying that it has no “political importance”.

Amid the ongoing tussle over the chief minister's chair, Karnataka deputy CM DK Shivakumar said he was heading to Delhi for a private event —a move that invited a reaction from Siddaramaiah.

DK Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah recently displayed some bonhomie by inviting and having breakfast at each other's residences. (PTI)

While Shivakumar maintained that he was going to Delhi to attend a wedding and to plan for a party event, the Karnataka CM reacted saying he would not go to the national capital unless he is formally invited.

The statement of the two leaders comes amid a tussle over the CM chair in the southern state as the Siddaramaiah-led government completed two-and-a-half years in power.

However, Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar have displayed bonhomie even as the two displayed a united front during two breakfast meetings at each other's residences in Bengaluru.

Before flying to Delhi, Shivakumar told reporters, "Going to Delhi today for a private function, there is no political importance to this."

Despite Shivakumar's clarification that his visit holds no political significance, Siddaramaiah told reporters, "Let him (Shivakumar) go. I will go only if I receive a call. I have not received a call so far." His remarks came in response to questions about whether he would also travel to the capital.

With Shivakumar in the capital, Siddaramaiah travelled to Mangaluru to take part in an event commemorating the centenary of social reformer Sri Narayana Guru's meeting with Mahatma Gandhi.

Congress has been witnessing infighting over the power struggle, with leaders going back and forth to the capital and meeting with senior leadership of the party.

At the Mangaluru event, Congress general secretary KC Venugopal delivered the keynote address and had lunch with CM Siddaramaiah.

Additionally, Siddaramaiah also said that if there is a direction from the party high command for a meeting in Delhi, it would be conveyed via Venugopal.

Shivakumar, meanwhile, elaborated on Delhi plans, saying that he would attend a wedding and also the discussions at the Congress headquarters regarding a massive event on December 14 in Delhi's Ramleela Maidan on the 'vote chori' campaign.

‘What’s wrong with CM meeting Venugopal?'

“On December 14, 'Vote Chori' event is happening in Delhi. So we are taking at least 300 workers from each district to Delhi. We have to take part in large numbers. I have told the district units to make arrangements to take them to Delhi,” Shivakumar told reporters before flying to the national capital.

Shivakumar was also asked about Siddaramaiah's lunch with Venugopal and asked, “What’s wrong in CM meeting Venugopal, Rahul Gandhi or Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge?”

Shivakumar also responded to questions about his supporters raising slogans at the Mangaluru airport after Venugopal's arrival. He asked, "What is wrong in it?"

"People have been raising slogans 'DK DK' for the past ten years. There is nothing new in it. So, people shout 'Modi Modi' and some others say 'DK DK'. There are people who shout 'Rahul Rahul' and some others chant 'Siddu Siddu'. There is nothing wrong in it. With their love and affection, they raise slogans. We should take it in a supportive way," Shivakumar said.