Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah brushed off persistent rumours about a leadership change on Tuesday, putting the ball firmly in the court of the Congress high command. After a brief meeting with Rahul Gandhi at the airport, the CM told reporters that the two didn’t even touch on politics, let alone a transition of power. He noted that Gandhi was simply passing through on his way to Tamil Nadu and that they would likely catch up again only when he returned to fly back to Delhi.
When pressed on why the media is buzzing with talk of a new Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah didn't hold back, accusing journalists of inventing the controversy themselves. He insisted there is zero confusion within the party and called the speculation entirely baseless. He also dismissed talk of a Cabinet reshuffle as nothing more than newspaper chatter, pointing out that neither he nor Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar has said a word to suggest a shift is imminent.
The friction stems from a supposed "power-sharing" deal made back in 2023, which many believe was set to kick in now that the government has hit its two-and-a-half-year mark. While some legislators have reportedly hinted at a handover, Siddaramaiah argued that rank-and-file MLAs aren't privy to those high-level discussions. He emphasised that he and Shivakumar remain on good terms—even mentioning recent breakfast meetings at each other’s homes—and reiterated that they are both committed to following whatever path Mallikarjun Kharge and the central leadership lay out. For now, he confirmed he has no immediate plans to head to Delhi to discuss changes to his team.
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