'It's a secret deal between...': DK Shivakumar breaks silence on Karnataka power-sharing
Shivakumar, who heads the Karnataka Congress, said he was deliberately avoiding public confrontation.
- Nov 25, 2025,
- Updated Nov 25, 2025 6:35 PM IST
Tension over the Chief Minister's post has resurfaced in Karnataka. While Karnataka CM Siddarmaiah has said that the decision by high command would be final, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Tuesday said he will not speak about it publicly as it is a "secret deal" between four and five people in the party.
Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah had been the two contenders for the top post when Congress won in May 2023. The high command reportedly broke the deadlock with a power-sharing arrangement under which Siddaramaiah would serve for 2.5 years before Shivakumar took over.
Shivakumar, who heads the Karnataka Congress, said he was deliberately avoiding public confrontation. "I have not asked to make me the CM. It is a secret deal between five and six of us. I don't want to speak publicly on this. I believe in my conscience. We should work with our conscience. I don't want to cause embarrassment to the party in any way and weaken it. If the party is there, we are there. If karyakartas are there, we are there," he told reporters in Kanakapura.
Despite not meeting AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge during his recent stay in Bengaluru, Shivakumar accompanied him to the airport on Tuesday morning. He dismissed suggestions that this signalled friction, instead praising Siddaramaiah's record. "The CM has spoken. He is a senior leader. He is an asset for the party. He has completed 7.5 years as CM," he said, referring to Siddaramaiah's earlier term from 2013 to 2018.
Asked about claims that voters in Bengaluru South (formerly Ramanagara) supported Congress to see him become CM, Shivakumar said he had not sought such endorsements. "During the election time, I had gone to all constituencies, including Mahadevappa, (asking them) to vote looking at my face. I have asked everywhere in Mandya too. I don't dispute it. People have voted."
On legislators backing him travelling to Delhi to push for his elevation, he said he had neither spoken to them nor encouraged the move. "I have not telephoned or called any of them… I'm not asking them why they went. I don't need it."
Six Congress MLAs supportive of Shivakumar visited Delhi on November 23 to meet high command leaders, while more are expected to follow, according to news agency PTI. About ten legislators had already met Kharge last week as the government completed 2.5 years in office.
Shivakumar declined to confirm whether a power-sharing formula had been agreed upon after the 2023 election. "Why should I speak about it. You have written things," he told reporters. He also pushed back against commentary from other party leaders and opposition figures. "I'm not a spokesperson for any of them," he said.
Reacting to the prayers and rituals reportedly being held by supporters seeking to see him as CM, he recalled the backing he received during his arrest. "Prayers offered today are not that important when compared to prayers offered by mothers and sisters, youths, elders and workers when I was in jail. Today I'm Deputy CM and party president. They prayed when I did not have any of these positions. That's big."
Party insiders say Siddaramaiah is pressing for a Cabinet reshuffle, while Shivakumar wants the leadership question settled first. A reshuffle approved by the high command, they say, would effectively signal Siddaramaiah finishing the full five-year term — sidelining Shivakumar's chances of taking over.
(With inputs from PTI)
Tension over the Chief Minister's post has resurfaced in Karnataka. While Karnataka CM Siddarmaiah has said that the decision by high command would be final, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Tuesday said he will not speak about it publicly as it is a "secret deal" between four and five people in the party.
Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah had been the two contenders for the top post when Congress won in May 2023. The high command reportedly broke the deadlock with a power-sharing arrangement under which Siddaramaiah would serve for 2.5 years before Shivakumar took over.
Shivakumar, who heads the Karnataka Congress, said he was deliberately avoiding public confrontation. "I have not asked to make me the CM. It is a secret deal between five and six of us. I don't want to speak publicly on this. I believe in my conscience. We should work with our conscience. I don't want to cause embarrassment to the party in any way and weaken it. If the party is there, we are there. If karyakartas are there, we are there," he told reporters in Kanakapura.
Despite not meeting AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge during his recent stay in Bengaluru, Shivakumar accompanied him to the airport on Tuesday morning. He dismissed suggestions that this signalled friction, instead praising Siddaramaiah's record. "The CM has spoken. He is a senior leader. He is an asset for the party. He has completed 7.5 years as CM," he said, referring to Siddaramaiah's earlier term from 2013 to 2018.
Asked about claims that voters in Bengaluru South (formerly Ramanagara) supported Congress to see him become CM, Shivakumar said he had not sought such endorsements. "During the election time, I had gone to all constituencies, including Mahadevappa, (asking them) to vote looking at my face. I have asked everywhere in Mandya too. I don't dispute it. People have voted."
On legislators backing him travelling to Delhi to push for his elevation, he said he had neither spoken to them nor encouraged the move. "I have not telephoned or called any of them… I'm not asking them why they went. I don't need it."
Six Congress MLAs supportive of Shivakumar visited Delhi on November 23 to meet high command leaders, while more are expected to follow, according to news agency PTI. About ten legislators had already met Kharge last week as the government completed 2.5 years in office.
Shivakumar declined to confirm whether a power-sharing formula had been agreed upon after the 2023 election. "Why should I speak about it. You have written things," he told reporters. He also pushed back against commentary from other party leaders and opposition figures. "I'm not a spokesperson for any of them," he said.
Reacting to the prayers and rituals reportedly being held by supporters seeking to see him as CM, he recalled the backing he received during his arrest. "Prayers offered today are not that important when compared to prayers offered by mothers and sisters, youths, elders and workers when I was in jail. Today I'm Deputy CM and party president. They prayed when I did not have any of these positions. That's big."
Party insiders say Siddaramaiah is pressing for a Cabinet reshuffle, while Shivakumar wants the leadership question settled first. A reshuffle approved by the high command, they say, would effectively signal Siddaramaiah finishing the full five-year term — sidelining Shivakumar's chances of taking over.
(With inputs from PTI)