DK Shivakumar in Delhi to meet Congress top brass

DEputy chief government minister DK Shivakumar reached young new delhi on lord's day with us congress president Mallikarjun Kharge to meet senior party leaders, amid recurring speculation over the Karnataka government’s leadership, people aware of the matter said. This comes after chief minister Siddaramaiah said he would abide by any decision taken by the party’s high command.According to the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president’s itinerary, Shivakumar and Kharge travelled to the national capital from Kalaburagi after attending a foundation-laying ceremony for development works in Chittapu, a Congress leader said under condition of anonymity. Shivakumar is expected to remain in the national capital on Sunday and hold meetings with senior Congress leaders on Monday, the leader said.The visit comes amid renewed discussion within the Congress over a possible leadership change in the state government following the presentation of the 2026–27 state budget.In recent days, some legislators, reportedly loyal to Shivakumar, held a dinner meeting and discussed travelling to Delhi to urge the party leadership to appoint him chief minister after the current budget session ends on March 27. However, the Congress leadership has made no announcement regarding any change in the state leadership.Earlier, Shivakumar said that Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and senior party leader Rahul Gandhi had brokered an understanding between him and Siddaramaiah when the Congress formed the government in Karnataka in 2023.According to Shivakumar, the understanding involved sharing the chief minister’s post for 2.5 years each. Siddaramaiah completed his term in office in November last year, which has triggered speculation about whether the party leadership may consider a transition in the coming months.The Congress leadership has not publicly confirmed any such arrangement.Siddaramaiah, who presented the state budget on Friday, said a day later that he would abide by whatever decision the party leadership takes regarding the state government’s leadership.“I will do whatever the high command says. If they want me to continue as Chief Minister, then I will continue. If not, I will step down,” Siddaramaiah said on Saturday.Asked whether he expected to present more budgets in the coming years, Siddaramaiah said the matter depended on the decision of the party leadership. “I have presented 17 budgets. I have presented the highest number of budgets. If the high command gives me an opportunity, I will present budgets in the coming years also,” he said.Siddaramaiah’s 2026–27 Budget was his 17th as the finance minister and chief minister combined, the highest number presented by any minister in Karnataka.While the budget focused on welfare schemes, infrastructure spending and sectoral allocations, Shivakumar has not publicly commented on the document so far.Earlier this week, Shivakumar had said that development work in his Bengaluru South parliamentary constituency would continue regardless of the budget. “There is no need to have expectations from the budget. We are doing our work without it,” he had saidShivakumar currently holds the portfolios of water resources and Bengaluru development and is also the president of the KPCC.Apart from his Delhi visit, Shivakumar is expected to host a dinner meeting of Congress MLAs and MLCs on March 10 to mark the completion of six years as president of the state Congress committee.People aware of the development said that several legislators are expected to attend the event. Siddaramaiah is also likely to be invited to the gathering.