'Things Could Spin Out of Control Within Congress': Arnab Goswami on Ongoing Power Tussle in Karnataka

New Delhi: Amid the intensifying power struggle within the Karnataka Congress between top leaders Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami on Saturday said that the situation has reached a stage where ‘all options are open’ for DK Shivakumar if he is not offered the Chief Minister’s position as originally promised by the party high command. Arnab also quoted sources and said that Shivakumar 'feels empowered by his support base and is unlikely to compromise'.

“My reading is that tomorrow is the final day. If by tomorrow, he is not offered the chief ministership, then all options are open for DK Shivakumar. He is confident about his support base,” Arnab said. 

Arnab stated that the Congress has a “very likely possibility of things spinning out of control” in Karnataka, with leadership attempts at reconciliation failing to gain traction.

Arnab called the Siddaramaiah-DKS breakfast meeting the ‘last attempt of Congress’ to end the tussle over the CM chair. 

While the top leadership is maintaining a hush-hush over the political power play of two heavyweights, DKS, in a cryptic post, hinted at the power-sharing promise made to him and wrote, "Keeping one's word is the greatest strength in the world!" 

“A likely compromise that is being sought by Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi is not going to work because they have fielded KC Venugopal to sought this out, and KC Venugopal has asked for this breakfast meeting today,” he said. 

Sources also disclosed to Arnab that although the breakfast meet was initially planned to take place at DK Shivakumar's residence, it was held at Siddaramaiah's place after the Chief Minister insisted that the Dy CM must come instead. 

“DKS agreed. This shows it is not DK Shivakumar who is unwilling to work together. It is Siddaramaiah who is taking a hardline stand,” Arnab opined. He also pointed out that, despite the public perception that DK Shivakumar was the one not cooperating, the breakfast meeting showed the opposite.

“Shivakumar, who led the campaign, and now that he has the support of the religious community and leaders of the Vokkaliga community, I think he feels very empowered. So he also played the cast part," he said. 

“For some reason, Rahul, Sonia, and Mallikarjun Kharge have avoided direct discussion with DK Shivakumar, even though they were the ones who promised him the position,” Arnab stated. 

"Congress leadership has realised that things are very serious now, which is why the middle-level leaders like Randeep Surjewala have been kept out. This is being handled by K.C. Venugopal, who is Rahul Gandhi's right-hand man and currently effectively the working president of the Congress party, as we all know Kharge is more or less a figurehead. Now, Venugopal does not have a solution; they had told DK Shivkumar at the end of October to wait till November 16; we will finalise the issue after November 16. Today is the 29th, and the deadline that DK Shivkumar has given is by the 30th of November. You sought this method out," Arnab revealed.  

“I am not expecting anything out of this breakfast meeting, as they are expecting DK Shivakumar to compromise, which is unlikely to happen,” Arnab added

‘No Differences Between Us,’ Says Siddaramaiah in a Joint Press Conference After Breakfast Meet 

After a breakfast meeting in the morning, both ministers appeared together on Saturday morning for a joint press conference to reinforce that there is “no rift whatsoever” between the state’s two tallest Congress leaders.

Beginning the press briefing, Siddaramaiah confirmed that he invited Shivakumar for breakfast after a request from AICC general secretary KC Venugopal.

“There are no differences between us. We have worked together in the past and will continue doing so. There never was and there never will be differences,” Siddaramaiah said. 

He further added that he and DKS have already devised a strategy to take on the Opposition jointly during the upcoming Belagavi session. “Whatever allegations they make, we will face them. From tomorrow, there will be no confusion,” the CM said.

Reiterating that there is no disruption between them, he said, “Whatever the high command says, we will comply with it. The final word is always with the high command.” In a clear message to the Opposition, both leaders repeatedly stated that they are united, the government is stable, and the Opposition’s attempts to create fissures will not succeed.
 

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