Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has downplayed rumours of a looming internal revolt, stating he remains confident that “what is due” to him will eventually materialise. Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Shivakumar addressed the persistent speculation surrounding a mid-term leadership change, as the Congress government reaches the 2.5-year mark of its five-year tenureโ a milestone many believe was the agreed-upon point for a power-sharing transition.
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Despite the obvious political tension, Shivakumar adopted a remarkably patient tone. “Why should I make a revolution?” he, further, asked, dismissively. He insisted that his focus remains on party unity rather than personal ambition, asserting that he has no intention of damaging the organisation he helped build.
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For Shivakumar, who also serves as the state party president, the priority is ensuring that the lakhs of grassroots workers who brought Congress to power are not troubled by selfish infighting. He maintained that he is prepared to wait, telling the media, “Whatever I want will come when it is due.
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“This measured stance comes shortly after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah attempted to project an image of absolute solidarity. In a recent post on X, the Chief Minister described his bond with his deputy as a “milk and honey relationship,” a characterisation meant to blunt opposition claims of a widening rift. Siddaramaiah accused “unemployed” leaders from the Bharatiya Janata Party and Janata Dal (Secular) of trying to “churn sourness” into their partnership, specifically dismissing allegations of phone-tapping and surveillance that have been used to suggest the two leaders are spying on one another.
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To mark his six years as state Congress president, Shivakumar has notably convened a dinner meeting for party legislators on 10 March. While he insists the gathering is a routine celebration of his tenure, its timing โ amidst the loudest whispers of a leadership change โ has not gone unnoticed by political observers. For now, the Deputy Chief Minister seems content to play the long game, even as the “milk and honey” narrative faces its most rigorous test yet.
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