Siddaramaiah Declines Delhi Visit Without Invitation

New Delhi: Hectic political parleys continued within the Karnataka Congress amid an ongoing leadership tussle. Even as a temporary truce appeared to hold between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, the latter left for Delhi to attend a private function.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, meanwhile, met AICC general secretary K.C. Venugopal in Mangaluru during a university event. At the Mangaluru airport, Venugopal was greeted with pro-Shivakumar slogans, prompting Siddaramaiah’s supporters to counter with chants of “Full-term CM Siddaramaiah.”

Sources said Venugopal conveyed to the Chief Minister that governance should not appear stalled due to internal power struggles and that the government must project unity and strength at all times. Officially, however, Siddaramaiah maintained that no political discussions took place during their interaction.

Venugopal was in Mangaluru to attend the centenary commemoration of the historic Narayana Guru–Mahatma Gandhi dialogue, an event organised by Mangaluru University and attended by Siddaramaiah, Cabinet ministers and senior Congress leaders. Sources close to Shivakumar said he was not invited to the event.

When asked about the pro-Shivakumar slogans raised earlier in the day, Shivakumar said, “This is normal. Some people chant Modi-Modi, others chant DK-DK, Rahul-Rahul or Siddu-Siddu. There is nothing wrong in it. People express love and affection, and we must take it sportively.”

Shivakumar clarified that he was travelling to Delhi only to attend a wedding. “On December 14, we will be at Ramlila Maidan for a major programme. From Karnataka, we need at least 300 people to visit Delhi. I have asked district ministers and MLAs to coordinate and take the cadre for the ‘Vote Chori’ programme. I am going to oversee arrangements and will return tomorrow for the Cabinet meeting.”

Asked about Siddaramaiah’s meeting with Venugopal, Shivakumar said, “What is wrong in the CM meeting Venugopal, Rahul Gandhi or Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge?”

Responding to questions about Shivakumar’s Delhi visit, Siddaramaiah said, “Let him go. Has anyone told him not to?” On whether he would travel himself, he said, “I will go only when I am invited. I have not been invited, so I am not going.” He added that any directive from the party high command for meetings in Delhi would be communicated through Venugopal.

Both leaders are expected to be called to Delhi in the coming days to meet the Congress high command.