Bengaluru, November 27, 2025: The ongoing tussle between Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D.K. Shivakumar erupted into an open war of words on Thursday, sharpening the debate over who will lead the state for the remaining term of the Congress government.
As the government crossed the halfway mark of its five-year tenure on November 20, Siddaramaiah reiterated that he intends to complete the full term. Shivakumar, however, renewed his push for a leadership change, widely seen as a reminder of the unconfirmed power-sharing pact reportedly discussed in 2023.
In a post on X, Siddaramaiah said, “The mandate given by the people of Karnataka is not a moment, but a responsibility that lasts five full years,” making his stance clear. Hours earlier, Shivakumar had posted a cryptic message asserting, “Keeping one’s word is the greatest strength in the world. Word power is world power.”
He followed it with another remark saying, “Everyone has to walk the talk… Word power is world power,” a comment interpreted as a gentle nudge to both the party and Siddaramaiah about honouring the alleged rotational chief ministership understanding.
Responding indirectly, Siddaramaiah said a word holds power only when “it betters the world for the people,” and highlighted the government’s welfare push. He listed achievements under his leadership, including five major guarantee schemes—Shakti, Gruha Lakshmi, Yuva Nidhi, Anna Bhagya and Gruha Jyoti—covering free electricity, financial support for women and free bus travel for women.
He added that during his 2013–2018 term, his government delivered on 157 out of 165 promises, and in the current term, 243 assurances have already been fulfilled. Siddaramaiah said every pending promise would be met with “commitment, credibility and care.”
Shivakumar’s supporters, meanwhile, continue to lobby the Congress high command in Delhi, urging the party to honour what they claim was an agreement to hand him the chief minister’s post after 2.5 years. The Congress has never officially confirmed such an arrangement, and Siddaramaiah has repeatedly denied its existence.
After the party’s decisive victory in May 2023, Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar were both contenders for the top post before the leadership settled on a compromise, naming Siddaramaiah as CM and Shivakumar as his deputy. With tensions now rising again, all eyes are on the Congress high command to see how it handles the renewed power struggle.
