‘Patience will pay,’ says Shivakumar on leadership change speculation

Amid renewed speculation over a leadership change in Karnataka , Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Thursday said the issue was not discussed during his recent meetings with the Congress high command in Delhi and maintained that any decision would be taken in the interest of the state and the party .

Speaking to reporters after meeting senior Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi , Priyanka Gandhi and party president Mallikarjun Kharge , Shivakumar said the central leadership would decide the matter at an appropriate time.

“We are not discussing anything on this. The party’s success story is very important. In the interest of the party and Karnataka, the leadership will take a call whenever they feel it is necessary,” he said when asked if any clarity had emerged on a possible change in leadership.

Responding to a question on whether he had been advised to remain patient, Shivakumar remarked, “Patience will also pay.”

The comments come a day before the Congress-led government headed by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah completes 1,000 days in office . To mark the milestone, the state government is set to announce another welfare initiative, the Bhoomi guarantee aimed at providing ‘pakka khata’ documents to eligible house owners through the revenue department.

Shivakumar rejected suggestions of a power tussle between him and the chief minister. “There is no power struggle here. It is within the BJP,” he said, referring to the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party .

On reports that some legislators were planning a foreign tour between February 16 and March 3 to delay a power-sharing arrangement, Shivakumar said he was unaware of any such development. “I have seen it only in newspapers,” he added.

The deputy chief minister declined to disclose details of his discussions with party leaders in Delhi. “Politics was discussed, but that will not be discussed before the media. We are political leaders and discussions obviously happen,” he said.

He also chose not to comment on whether a leadership change could take place by the completion of 2,000 days of the government .

Speculation over a possible change in leadership has intensified with every visit to Delhi by Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar in recent months, with different factions within the Congress making competing claims about the future course of the Karnataka government.