Top News

DK Shivakumar, Rahul Gandhi meet for Assam polls amid Karnataka power tussle
Sanjeev Kumar | January 19, 2026 1:22 AM CST

Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar met with Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi in Delhi for Assam poll discussions. He refrained from commenting on his meeting with the high command amid speculation over a leadership change in Karnataka.

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar participated in a meeting as an observer for Assam elections, at 10 Rajaji Marg, the residence of Congress President Mallikarjun Khargem while refraining from discussing his meeting with the party high command.

Add Asianet Newsable as a Preferred SourcegooglePreferred

Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi was also present in the meeting held on Friday. Amid speculation about a power tussle in Karnataka, Rahul Gandhi and DK Shivakumar were face-to-face for the first three hours of the meeting.

Shivakumar Remains Tight-Lipped on Discussions

After the meeting, Shivakumar went back to meet Mallikarjun Kharge. Speaking to reporters today, he declined to discuss his meeting with the Congress high command. Shivakumar, who is in New Delhi after cancelling his scheduled visit to Davos for the World Economic Forum 2026, asked the media "not make a big deal" out of his visit, stating he came to the national capital for government and party work. Maintaining that he would not disclose anything regarding the meeting, he said, "I cannot disclose it. Time will answer everything... We are all politicians; politicians do whatever politics they want. There is nothing wrong with that. We have met. Why do you make a big deal out of it? We come here for government work, for party work. We come here for politics."

Speculation Over Leadership Change

His visit to Delhi comes in the backdrop of speculation over a possible leadership change in Karnataka. As the state government crossed the halfway mark of its tenure in November 2025, a speculated tussle for the CM post began with CM Siddaramaiah, Deputy CM Shivakumar and Home Minister G Parameshwara in the fray.

Earlier today, the Deputy CM said that he prefers not to speak even when there is "good news." "When there is good news, we don't talk about it. It's Sunday, a good day. We are people who work for the people and wish well for them. We do not disclose or discuss anything related to such matters, including leadership change," Shivakumar said. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)


READ NEXT
Cancel OK