Amid heightened political tensions in Karnataka, a significant development emerged when Channagiri Congress MLA Sivaganga Basavaraj pledged his support for Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, following a Vokkaliga seer’s call for Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to pave the way for Shivakumar.
At a Kempegowda Jayanti event attended by Siddaramaiah, Vokkaliga seer Chandrashekar Swamiji advocated for Shivakumar’s elevation, emphasizing that while Siddaramaiah had already held power, Shivakumar deserved a turn as Chief Minister. Siddaramaiah responded by deferring to the Congress high command’s decision.
Subsequently, MLA Sivaganga Basavaraj expressed his endorsement of Shivakumar, suggesting that if creating additional deputy chief minister positions would facilitate this transition, it should be pursued without hesitation. Basavaraj highlighted Shivakumar’s role in the party and pointed to recent electoral successes as justification for his leadership.
Despite warnings from Shivakumar against public discourse on leadership changes and the creation of multiple deputy chief minister roles, calls persist from various quarters to diversify leadership roles within the party.
