‘Don’t want anything, party will make decision’: DK Shivakumar on leadership row in Karnataka Congress

BENGALURU: Amid a stir over the Congress leadership in Karnataka, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Friday reiterated that he does not want to rush into things and that the party high command will take a decision on the CM post.

When asked about his meeting with spiritual leader Nanjavadutha Swamiji of the Vokkaliga community amid the power tussle, Shivakumar said Congress is his community, and he looks at all the communities in the state equally.

The Deputy CM told reporters, “I don’t want anything. I am not hurrying anything. My party will make the decision. I don’t want any community angle. Congress is my community, and my love is for all sections of society.”

#WATCH | Bengaluru | Amid leadership row in the state, Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar says, “I will definitely go to Delhi. It is our temple. Congress has a long history, and Delhi will always guide us. When they call me, party leaders and CM, we will go there…My community… pic.twitter.com/NuTBc45V6l

— ANI (@ANI) November 28, 2025

While there is speculation of the Congress high command meeting to take a decision on the CM post, instead, Shivakumar said that he will visit Delhi to keep Karnataka’s farmer issues ahead of the Winter Session of the Parliament.

He said, “I will definitely go to Delhi. It is our temple. Congress has a long history, and Delhi will always guide us. When they call me, the party leaders and CM, we will go there. I have a lot of work in Delhi. Parliament Winter Session is coming, and I have to meet the Parliamentarians because they have to take forward some of our projects. My CM is discussing the issues (with the Centre). There is the maize issue. The central government is not supporting or helping farmers. We have decided to call a meeting of factory owners. We request that Delhi take over and you buy it.”

The leadership row in Karnataka began after the Congress government reached the halfway mark of its tenure in November.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge dismissed speculation about a leadership change in the state, asserting that Congress is united and will remain so.

Following the meeting with Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, he said that he met the Deputy Chief Minister as he had an administrative problem.

Speaking to reporters, Priyank Kharge said, “If I have an administrative problem, I will go to my CM and DCM. I wanted clarification in the urban body. That is why I come. Tomorrow, if I meet Kharge also, you will ask what you discussed politically? Unnecessary speculation is not necessary.

What did CM say? High command. So where is the ambiguity coming from? The ambiguity is only in the Media and the BJP, not in public or with Congress.”

Additionally, Priyank Kharge also played down the reports, urging the media not to indulge in any speculations. He said that the Chief Minister and DCM have already said that if the high command summons them, they will go.

“I don’t know where this information is coming from. Everyone said if our incharge Randeep Singh Surjewala or the AICC president summons, they will go. The Chief Minister and DCM have already said that if the high command summons them, they will go. Let them call, and we will see. The high command will assess the time and the situation and then decide. It is nothing new. The party has been carried forward for 130 years. Whenever intervention is needed, they will do it.” (ANI)