Bengaluru, Feb 3 (IANS) Deputy Chief Minister and Karnataka Congress President D.K. Shivakumar has clarified that there is no leadership tussle within the Congress-led government between him and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

Shivakumar made the statement while answering the Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka in the Assembly on Monday, who raised the issue of a leadership tussle, referring to his cryptic social media posts on leadership.

R. Ashoka stated, “For the last one month, D.K. Shivakumar’s speeches and his tweets are signalling all is not well. In one tweet, he conveys a hundred meanings. In one word, he conveys tens of meanings. That’s why everyone is confused. Not only us, but people from the ruling party are also confused.”

Answering this, Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar stated, “We have grown by going through many struggles. Our strength is 139 MLAs. All of us are together, including Siddaramaiah.”

“We have given our word, and we will stand by it. There is no crisis. I am with him now and will continue to stand with him in the future. There is no confusion. He stands with me, in times of crisis, and the same is with me. I stand with him whenever he faces a crisis,” Shivakumar said.

He further stated, “Ashoka, you are a senior politician. Whoever says whatever, I do not get disturbed. I have risen from being a student leader. I have upheld and preserved my own values. The party gave me a ticket at a young age, and I have grown to this position.”

“Ups and downs are natural in politics. I have seen the rise and fall of many leaders. I have fallen, risen again, and even experienced imprisonment. In another month, I will complete six years as the party president,” he said.

“Siddaramaiah is 100 per cent with me. There is no question about this. Both of us are working together, supporting each other, and we will continue to do so,” Shivakumar stated.

“We have given our word to the people, and we are working to keep that promise. We are acting as per what we have said and will continue to do so. There should be no confusion on this. I stood by him during his difficult times and will continue to stand by him. He will also stand by me during my difficult times,” Shivakumar maintained.

It can be noted that Shivakumar defended CM Siddaramaiah throughout, when the opposition targeted him in connection with the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) scam. CM Siddaramaiah is named as accused number one in the case.

When Ashoka again asked about the meaning of his tweets, which indicated leadership tussle, Shivakumar replied, “How you interpret the social media X posts is entirely up to you.”

When asked why he spoke about limits to patience, he said, “I cannot respond to everything everyone says. In our party and in your (BJP’s) party, it is the party that decides; the numbers don’t matter.”

“In your (BJP) government, many Chief Ministers were changed, and entire cabinets were reshuffled. Therefore, I will not be intimidated by what you say. You need not worry unnecessarily,” he added.

Meanwhile, senior BJP leader Aravind Bellad intervened and said, “We know your strength. Earlier, when late S.M. Krishna was the Chief Minister, you (Shivakumar) had to fight hard to become a minister. Will the same thing happen now as well?” Bellad asked.

It may be noted that Shivakumar had earlier stated that he had to kick the doors and force himself to get the post of minister.

Shivakumar further said, “Everything is possible in politics. Politics is the art of possibilities. Anything can happen here. I believe that one man with courage can make a majority. If one has a firm stand and determination, one person is enough. Let us see what happens in the 2028 Assembly polls.”

Earlier, opposition MLAs also interrupted CM Siddaramaiah during his speech in the Assembly and taunted him over the matter of the leadership tussle.

To this, D.K. Shivakumar responded, “Time will give the answer. Let it be.”

Targetting CM Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM Shivakumar, Ashoka said, “But what is happening between you two is confusion. Leave us aside; there is confusion within your own party. Speak properly about that.”

–IANS

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