'Where There Is Effort...': DK Shivakumar Shares Post Amid Karnataka Congress Power Tussle Buzz

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Friday set off a fresh wave of political speculation after posting a cryptic message on X, as a group of his loyalist ministers and MLAs headed to New Delhi amid a perceived power tussle within the ruling Congress.

“Where there is effort, there is fruit; where there is devotion, there is the Lord,” a rough translation of Shivakumar’s post in regional language suggested.

Shivakumar also shared a poster featuring excerpts from his recent address at the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee office during the birth anniversary celebrations of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

In his speech, he urged party workers to stay energised, remain loyal to the party, and not lose confidence in the face of internal

challenges.

ಎಲ್ಲಿ ಶ್ರಮ ಇದೆಯೋ ಅಲ್ಲಿ ಫಲವಿದೆ, ಎಲ್ಲಿ ಭಕ್ತಿ ಇದೆಯೋ ಅಲ್ಲಿ ಭಗವಂತ ಇದ್ದಾನೆ.. pic.twitter.com/7HyiIPWk1y

— DK Shivakumar (@DKShivakumar) November 21, 2025

While Shivakumar did not directly comment on the ongoing leadership chatter, the timing of the post, coming a day after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah completed two-and-a-half years in office, triggered renewed debate about whether the long-rumoured rotational chief ministership formula had resurfaced.

Top Congress sources, however, were categorical that no leadership change is on the table and that this has been “clearly conveyed” to both camps.

According to senior leaders familiar with the discussions, the central leadership is “fully aware” of the muscle-flexing on both sides as a cabinet reshuffle draws closer.

For now, all leaders have reportedly been instructed to focus on the government’s priorities, specifically the SIR (State Investment Region) issue that has become a major administrative concern.

Despite the party’s official line, the movement of MLAs aligned with Shivakumar has kept the political temperature high.

On Thursday, Minister N Chaluvarayaswamy and MLAs Iqbal Hussain, HC Balakrishna and SR Srinivas travelled to Delhi to meet senior Congress leaders.

Sources indicated that around 12 more MLAs are likely to reach the capital on Friday.

Earlier this week, nearly a dozen MLCs had also camped in Delhi and held discussions with Congress general secretaries.

The internal currents have been swirling for weeks. Since the time the Congress won the Assembly elections on 20 May 2023, there has been a visible rivalry between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar over the chief ministerial post.

Although the party persuaded Shivakumar to accept the Deputy Chief Minister’s position, reports of a “two-and-a-half-year rotational chief minister formula” continued to dominate political conversations.

Party leaders have never officially confirmed such an agreement, and Siddaramaiah himself has publicly dismissed these claims, insisting he will serve a full five-year term.

However, a section of legislators loyal to Shivakumar has repeatedly voiced their desire to see him take over the top post.

With Siddaramaiah’s 2.5-year milestone now passed, these voices have grown louder, culminating in this week’s sudden Delhi mobilisation.

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