Karnataka Deputy CM's Cryptic Message Sparks Political Buzz
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar posted a cryptic message on social media platform X on Wednesday. This followed his private meeting with Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi. Shivakumar wrote, "Even if the effort fails, the prayer does not fail." The ambiguous statement immediately caught political attention across the state.
Airport Meeting Details Revealed
The interaction occurred at Mysuru's Mandakalli airport on Tuesday. Rahul Gandhi arrived around 2 pm on a special flight while traveling to Gudalur in Tamil Nadu. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM Shivakumar both received him at the airport. The leaders had flown together to Mysuru earlier that day.
Rahul Gandhi departed by helicopter within minutes for his Tamil Nadu engagement. Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar then left the airport separately. Later, when Rahul Gandhi returned to Mysuru ahead of schedule for his Delhi flight, Shivakumar reached the airport early. He engaged in a three-minute one-on-one conversation with the former AICC chief on the tarmac.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah joined them afterward. Rahul Gandhi then interacted briefly with both leaders before boarding his special flight around 5:45 pm.
Political Speculation Intensifies
The exclusive exchange between Rahul Gandhi and Shivakumar occurred amid ongoing speculation about a possible leadership change in Karnataka. This private conversation sparked renewed political buzz across the state. Shivakumar shared photographs of the meeting with reporters afterward. However, neither he nor Chief Minister Siddaramaiah addressed the media directly.
Earlier that day, Shivakumar was present when Mysuru city police presented a guard of honour to Siddaramaiah. He deliberately stayed away when the Chief Minister spoke to reporters. Shivakumar later waited at a star hotel in the city for Rahul Gandhi's return. Siddaramaiah went to his residence in Ramakrishna Nagar instead.
Chief Minister's Response
When questioned about the meeting later, Siddaramaiah provided clarification. He stated, "It is the media which is speculating a change in CM, but there is no confusion or issues between Shivakumar and me. Some MLAs have spoken without knowledge. Only Shivakumar and I can speak on this."
The Chief Minister emphasized that any decision regarding leadership change would come from the party high command. He affirmed, "A decision on a change, if any, will be taken by the party high command and we both will abide by it."
Security Measures Implemented
Congress party officials and local police took preventive measures to avoid potential disruptions. They decided to bar party workers from entering Mysuru airport on Tuesday. This action followed incidents during AICC general secretary KC Venugopal's visit to Mangaluru airport last month.
During that previous visit, supporters of both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar had shouted slogans advocating for their preferred leader to become Chief Minister. The security measures aimed to prevent similar scenes from occurring at the Mysuru airport meeting.
The political developments continue to generate discussion across Karnataka. Observers are closely watching for further indications about potential leadership changes within the state government.
