In a startlingly candid address that has sent ripples through Karnataka’s political corridors, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar revealed the depth of the internal warfare he faces, claiming he is being
“stabbed from both the front and the back.”
Speaking at a Vokkaliga community entrepreneurs event on Sunday, the veteran leader’s remarks appeared to be a direct volley at his detractors within the Congress-led government and his rivals in the JD(S), marking a sharp escalation in the rhetoric surrounding the state’s ongoing leadership transition debate.
The “stabbing” metaphor served as a raw centrepiece to a speech that balanced vulnerability with a firm assertion of power. Shivakumar lamented that the most painful strikes were not coming from distant enemies, but from “his own people” and those he once sincerely supported.
He specifically revisited the fractured relationship with former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, categorically rejecting accusations of backstabbing during their previous coalition. “My conscience knows how honest I was when Kumaraswamy was the CM,” Shivakumar declared, adding that he no longer requires “certificates” of loyalty from those who have turned against him.
‘Have Full Confidence In My Party’
However, the Karnataka deputy CM also expressed full confidence that Congress will take care of his political future. “In this temple of the world, everyone gets at least one opportunity. Perform your duty with self-confidence. Do not think of yourself as grass or manure,” he said.
Underscoring the struggles he endured during his political career, Shivakumar said, “I come from a very ordinary family. My father was not a big politician or a Chief Minister; he was only a taluk board member. My grandfather was the same. From there, through struggle, politics, fights, and hardships, I am sitting here today. I have self-confidence in my party that it will take care of my future.”
This defiant stance comes at a precarious moment for the Karnataka Congress, as the party hit the midpoint of its term and speculation regarding a “power-sharing” agreement between Shivakumar and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah reaches a fever pitch. By framing himself as a leader who has “taken many blows” to reach his current position, Shivakumar signaled to the party high command that his patience is tied to his immense personal sacrifice.
He also reminded his audience that he did not inherit his status from a political dynasty, but carved it out like a “rock” a name he embraced to describe a resilience built on surviving both legal battles and internal sabotage. Beyond the immediate political friction, the Deputy Chief Minister warned the next generation of Vokkaliga entrepreneurs to learn from his scars, advising them that “no one can be trusted” in environments where blood and money circulate.
Even as he described being “chewed up” by critics on Instagram and television, Shivakumar maintained that he remains unfazed by the digital onslaught. His closing remarks had a lot of strategic signalling, while expressing absolute faith that the Congress party will “take a decision” on his future, he left no doubt that he views himself as a leader who has paid his dues in full and expects the party to honour that debt.
