DK Shivakumar reaffirmed loyalty to Congress, while leaving the decision on Karnataka’s leadership change to the party high command.
Bengaluru
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has maintained a cautious stance on the question of leadership change in the Congress government, stating that the decision lies solely with the party high command. Speaking at the India Today Conclave South 2025, he remarked, “Only time will answer. Without hope, there is no life.”
Responding to speculation about a power-sharing arrangement with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Shivakumar emphasised party unity as the Congress’ biggest strength. He said, “This is not about one man, not me or Siddaramaiah. We all worked together and earned the trust of the people. That unity gave us the power.”
Rejecting suggestions of internal divisions, he insisted there were no factions within the party. “There is only one faction, the Indian National Congress,” he asserted.
On governance, Shivakumar reiterated the party’s focus on fulfilling its promises to the people, stressing that good governance remained the government’s top priority.
When asked about apologising for singing the RSS anthem in the Assembly, he explained that his decision was intended to avoid unnecessary controversy. “My ego is not important. I apologised because I did not want to create space for nuisance,” he said, adding, “I was born a Congressman and will die a Congressman.”
Addressing the Dharmasthala mass burial controversy, he dismissed it as a “bogus conspiracy” resulting from internal disputes within the BJP and RSS, while expressing confidence that the SIT investigation would expose the truth.
