Updated on: 16th MAY 2023 02:42 PM IST | Mumbai
S S NADAR | news@debotimes.in

Siddaramaiah vs DK Shivakumar: Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and KC Venugopal are currently holding talks on the Karnataka chief minister issue.

New Delhi: Congress leader DK Shivakumar made it clear today that he would not back down in a tense rivalry with Siddaramaiah over the Karnataka chief minister's post after the party's big win in the state on Saturday. But he said he would not resort to "backstabbing or blackmail", regardless of the party's decision.
Siddaramaiah spent much of yesterday in Delhi, where he met with the Congress leadership amid reports that he was closer to the finish line than his younger colleague. “Let's wait and see. I don't know,” he told reporters cautiously, asked when there would be an announcement.

Party president Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leaders Rahul Gandhi and KC Venugopal are currently holding talks on the Karnataka chief minister issue. Mr Kharge will then hold talks with both Mr Shivakumar and Mr Siddaramaiah.

The party's leadership was yesterday briefed by a team of observers on the views of the newly elected Karnataka MLAs. The Congress held a secret vote on Sunday, the results of which have reportedly been presented to the party president, who will take the final decision.

The party could announce the name of the next Karnataka Chief Minister in the coming 24 hours, sources said. The biggest challenge is to bring Mr Shivakumar on board.

Mr Shivakumar arrived in Delhi this afternoon after cancelling his visit last night at the last minute citing a stomach infection. “The party is my god...We have built this party, I am a part of it and I am not alone in this," he said before flying out of Bengaluru.

"We have built this party (Congress), we have built this house. I am a part of it...A mother will give everything to her child," he added, indicating that he expected the party to reward him for his role in Congress's Karnataka victory.

But he repeated that he would not rebel. "If the party wants, they can give me the responsibility... Ours is a united house, our number is 135. I don't want to divide anyone here. Whether they like me or not, I am a responsible man. I will not backstab and I will not blackmail," Mr Shivakumar asserted.

In polls held last week, the Congress won a clear majority in Karnataka, finishing with 135 seats in the 224-member assembly. Its celebrations were, however, tempered with anxiety over the Siddaramaiah versus Shivakumar contest for the top job, which drags on for the third day without a solution.

Siddaramaiah, 75, is a former Chief Minister and Mr Shivakumar, 61, is the party's Karnataka chief. Both claim to have a majority of MLAs backing their claim to the chief minister's post.

The Congress has a tough decision to make, with an eye on the long-term impact, especially on next year's national elections.

In an exclusive interview with NDTV last evening, Mr Shivakumar said he expected his leadership to acknowledge who was behind the emphatic win in Karnataka.

"Sonia Gandhi told me, 'I have confidence in you that you will deliver Karnataka'. I am sitting here, doing my regular responsibility. You should have the basic courtesy, a bit of gratitude. They should have the courtesy to acknowledge who is behind the win," the 61-year-old said.

"I won't blackmail, that's not me. Don't perceive anything. I have my own presence of mind. I am not a child. I won't fall in a trap," Mr Shivakumar added.

Responding to Mr Siddaramaiah's claim that he has the support of the MLAs, he said, "I wish him all the best."

In the run-up to the election, the Congress was able to project a united front, even though the supporters of Mr Shivakumar and Mr Siddaramaiah often publicly clashed.

While Siddaramaiah is seen to be a leader with mass appeal and completed a full term in 2013-18, Mr Shivakumar is known for his strong organisational capabilities, and is considered resourceful and Congress' troubleshooter during tough times.

Sources close to Mr Shivakumar, however, insist that Siddaramaiah has “never been a party man and has never won any elections for the party”.