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DK Shivakumar dismissed rumours of quitting as Karnataka Congress chief, insisting he remains a “disciplined soldier” of the party and attributing the speculation to the media.
Bengaluru: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar (File photo/PTI)
Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Sunday rejected speculation that he was stepping down as the Karnataka Congress president, asserting that he remains a “disciplined soldier” of the party.
Dismissing the rumours as media-driven, he said, “I am not the one to blackmail the Congress. I have built this party and worked tirelessly day and night for it. I will continue to do so in the future. Our party will return to power (in Karnataka) in 2028.”
His remarks came amid chatter about a potential leadership change and an impending cabinet reshuffle in the state, following Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s meeting with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi a day earlier.
Shivakumar said any decision on a reshuffle rests entirely with Siddaramaiah, who would take it up with the party high command.
He explained that his visit to Delhi was to invite Rahul Gandhi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge for the foundation-laying ceremony of 100 new Congress offices in Karnataka.
“There is a foundation-laying ceremony and several other events. Who will handle all of that? I have to do it. Why would I say I will resign (as state Congress president)? That situation hasn’t arisen yet,” Shivakumar told reporters in New Delhi.
“I am dedicated to serving the party as a disciplined soldier, doing whatever tasks are assigned to me,” he added.
Alongside the foundation-laying ceremony for the 100 party offices, Shivakumar said there would also be a launch for “Gandhi-Bharat,” a book he has authored, which chronicles the Congress’s Belagavi session a century ago led by Mahatma Gandhi and the centenary celebrations held recently.
Meanwhile, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara indicated on Sunday that only a Cabinet reshuffle is likely, not a leadership change.
Siddaramaiah, however, clarified in Delhi that no discussions on the reshuffle had taken place, and that conversations instead focused on the Bihar election results.
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Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.
Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.
November 17, 2025, 08:36 IST
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