No power formula: CM; we do have a pact: dy CM | Bengaluru News

Belagavi/Karwar: After an uneasy truce of three weeks, power tussle in Karnataka received a second wind on Friday with chief minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy, DK Shivakumar, taking different positions on the reported power-sharing arrangement.While Siddaramaiah affirmed he’ll complete a full five-year term and denied any power formula, Shivakumar said he and the CM have an arrangement and they will abide by it. Responding to BJP members who sought clarity on his continuation as CM during a debate in the legislative assembly on North Karnataka development, Siddaramaiah said he never indicated serving half term. “I feel the high command is on my side. I’m confident they will allow me to complete a five-year term,” he said.On claims of a power-sharing pact, he clarified: “No such arrangement exists. I’m the CM and will remain so until the high command decides otherwise. First, the people bless us, then the legislators elect the leader, and after that, the high command decides.”Shivakumar said he had never indicated Siddaramaiah would not complete the full term and acknowledged that Siddaramaiah became CM with high command support. In the same breath, he said they were operating on a common wavelength with the blessings of party leaders.After visiting a temple in Ankola of Uttara Kannada district, Shivakumar said he and Siddaramaiah run the govt in absolute consensus and with consent of the high command.Responding to BJP’s S Sunil Kumar, who said whether promises made to North Karnataka would be fulfilled during his tenure as CM, Siddaramaiah stated, “I’ll remain CM in future as well.”He took a subtle dig at the opposition, saying, “We are the producers, directors and actors, whereas you have a director,” referencing former CM BS Yediyurappa’s early exit despite a full-term promise.Siddaramaiah, along with ministers G Parameshwara, HC Mahadevappa, BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan, MC Sudhakar, and legislators AS Ponnanna and Naseer Ahmed, attended a dinner hosted by senior minister Satish Jarkiholi Friday night. The gathering followed a Dec 17 dinner where Jarkiholi hosted over 30 “like-minded” legislators. Siddaramaiah had skipped that event, though his son and MLC Yathindra Siddaramaiah and MLA KN Rajanna were present.On the dinner meet, Shivakumar said, “What’s wrong with that? Let them have dinner, it’s a happy thing. Can we say ‘don’t have dinner’?”Shivakumar had earlier dismissed speculation about a dinner he had attended, saying, “There was no dinner meeting or anything. I had attended a dinner with my former DCC president to pay respects as they (that family) had contributed a lot to Karnataka, Belagavi. To honour them, I went with friends. There is no politics.”