Bengaluru: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Thursday warned against his colleagues in Congress publicly discussing the change of guard in the Karnataka government. He said that he instructed the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) Working President, GC Chandrashekar, to give notices to those who spoke on the change of Chief Minister.

"We don't need to react to what the BJP says. Let them say what they want to say. I have instructed our working president, GC Chandrashekar, to give notice to them. No one should say anything related to the CM post," Shivakumar told reporters.

"No need to discuss the CM post sharing. CM Siddaramaiah and I are working together. We are following the guidelines of the high command," he added.

His reaction came after Congress MLA H D Ranganath said that he wished to see his "political Guru," deputy chief minister D K Shivakumar, ascending the chief minister's chair one day. 

After Congress won the 2023 Assembly election in Karnataka, Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah reportedly contended for the Chief Ministrial post. After several rounds of discussions between the leaders and the party's central leadership, Siddaramaiah was chosen for the post. There were reports at the time that Shivakumar agreed after a rotational chief ministership arrangement was agreed upon. But the Congress high command never publicly said so. 

Recently, many central leaders and Siddaramaiah said that there was no such agreement. The Chief Minister had said that he would complete his five-year term. 

Earlier, Congress MLA HD Ranganath had come out in praise of Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, calling him a "rising star" and a "pan-India leader". Ranganath attributed the party's good electoral performance to Shivakumar's efforts, saying,“He brought very good results in elections for the Congress party.”

Ranganath also lauded Shivakumar's commitment to the party, stating,“I have not seen any other leader give that kind of commitment to the party... He has always stood with the Congress party.”

Speaking to ANI on Wednesday, Ranganath said, "Karnataka Deputy CM and Congress leader DK Shivakumar is a rising star and a pan-India leader...He brought very good results in elections for the Congress party...I have not seen any other leader give that kind of commitment to the party...He has always stood with the Congress party." 

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

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