'No Differences Between Us': Karnataka Cong Chief DK Shivakumar Pitted Against Siddaramaiah As CM Candidate

Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar said he wished to clarify claims about differences between him and Siddaramaiah. The statement came ahead the CLP meeting slated to happen later today.

Former Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah (R) and Karnataka Congress President D.K. Shivakumar (L) during celebrations after the party's win in Karnataka Assembly elections, in Bengaluru, Saturday, May 13, 2023. ( Image Source :PTI )

Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar on Sunday said that while people allege differences between him and Siddaramaiah, he wished to clarify that "there is no difference" between the both of them.

"Some people say that I have differences with Siddaramaiah but I want to clear that there is no difference between us. Many times I have sacrificed for the party and stood with Siddaramaiah ji. I have given cooperation to Siddaramaiah," DK Shivakumar said, as per news agency ANI. The remark came after he visited Sri Kadasiddeshwara Mutt in Tumkur’s Nonavinakere. 

The Congress won an absolute majority in Karnataka on Saturday with the party crossing the halfway mark of 113 seats in the 224-member assembly. Congress has secured 135 seats and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) finished second with 66 seats. Janata Dal-Secular (JDS) has won 19 seats. Independents have won two seats while Kalyana Rajya Pragathi Paksha and Sarvodaya Karnataka Paksha have won one seat each.

Notably, the Karnataka Congress president defeated JDS candidate B Nagaraju in the Kanakapura constituency by 1,22,392 votes. The next task for the Congress is to choose a chief ministerial candidate with both state Congress chief DK Shivakumar and former chief minister Siddaramaiah aspirants for the post. The supporters of Siddaramaiah and DK Shivkumar have put up posters in the state demanding they be declared as the state CM.

The Congress legislature party (CLP) meeting is scheduled to begin at 5.30 pm today, and the newly elected MLAs have already been instructed to come to Bengaluru.

Two front-runners for the coveted post are - Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah and Karnataka Congress President DK Shivakumar.

There are also other contenders for the post like former Deputy Chief Minister and ex-KPCC President G Parameshwara and veteran leader and seven-time MP K H Muniyappa-- both Dalits and MB Patil -- a Lingayat.