Karnataka leadership: Kharge holds meeting with Siddaramaiah, Shivakumar

AICC chief Mallikarjun Kharge held discussions with Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar amid speculation over a leadership issue in the state Congress party.

AICC chief Mallikarjun Kharge held discussions with Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar amid fresh speculation over leadership issue, party sources said on Tuesday.

According to sources, Kharge along with Siddaramaiah, Shivakumar and senior leaders travelled together from Thiruvananthapuram to Bengaluru and later held discussions at the residence of state Energy Minister K J George on Monday.

Reports emerged time and again about a power tussle between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar.

The power-sharing issue intensified after the Congress government completed its halfway mark in November last year.

Sources in the Congress said the informal meeting at George's residence took place shortly after the leaders returned from Kerala on Monday, where they had attended the swearing-in ceremony of the new Congress government.

According to sources, discussions during the gathering revolved around recent political developments in the state and the continuing speculation surrounding the chief ministerial post.

They also added that some leaders in the party were pushing for clarity from the high command regarding the leadership issue.

Madhugiri Congress MLA K N Rajanna indicated that an informal meeting on leadership issue would have taken place.

''Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar were there in Kerala. Why would discussions not have taken place there itself,'' Rajanna asked.

According to party insiders, Rahul Gandhi had earlier sought feedback from senior leaders, including George, regarding internal political equations in the state.

Congress sources also indicated that several leaders are now waiting for party general secretary K C Venugopal to return from a short break, amid indications that further consultations could take place in Delhi in the coming days.