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Amid speculation on change of guard in Karnataka, Shivakumar meets Congress chief Kharge

Former Union minister B Veerappa Moily recently said it was just a matter of time before Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar was made chief minister.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge with Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar. (Photo Credit: X/@DKShivakumar)

Days after former Union minister B Veerappa Moily asserted that Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar would replace Siddaramaiah as chief minister in the current term, a meeting between Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Shivakumar has triggered speculation within political circles.

Shivakumar, however, refused to read much into his meeting with the Congress president. “Rather than meeting Kharge—who is our president—should I meet leaders in the BJP office?” the party’s state chief said in response to media queries about the meeting on Tuesday.

“He is our AICC president. I am KPCC president. It is my duty to meet him when he comes to the state. We are conducting Bhoomi pooja for a new office. I requested him to give a date this month only. Apart from this, there was nothing (in the meeting),” the deputy chief minister said.

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Moily reignited the debate on a change of guard in the state during an event at Karkala, Udupi, on Sunday. “No one can stop you from becoming CM. Because it is not a post to be given as a boon; it is a post to be earned,” he said, adding that the issue was settled and that it was just a matter of time before Shivakumar was made chief minister.

Responding to the remarks on Monday, Siddaramaiah said he would abide by the directions of the Congress leadership. “What Moily or anyone else says is not as important. The high command’s decision is final,” he said.

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