The simmering power struggle between Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar escalated into a public exchange on Thursday, with both leaders dropping pointed remarks amid speculation over a rotational chief ministership deal.

With the Congress government completing 2.5 years in power on November 20, the tension over whether a leadership change was promised has resurfaced. While Siddaramaiah insists he will serve the entire five-year term, Shivakumar has sharpened his messaging, hinting that commitments must be honoured.

Shivakumar’s cryptic message: ‘Word power is world power’

Taking to social media on Thursday, D. K. Shivakumar wrote, “The biggest force in the world was to keep one's word.”

He added that every leader, whether a judge, president or anyone else, must “walk the talk.”

The post is widely interpreted as a reminder to Siddaramaiah and the Congress high command about the rumoured 2023 power-sharing pact.

Siddaramaiah counters: ‘Word is not power unless it betters the World for the people’

Responding with equal sharpness, Siddaramaiah wrote on X, “Our Word to Karnataka is not a slogan, it means the world to us.”

He emphasized that the mandate of Karnataka’s voters is for a full five-year term, not a momentary arrangement. Highlighting his governance track record, Siddaramaiah pointed to the five flagship guarantee schemes, Shakti, Gruha Lakshmi, Yuva Nidhi, Anna Bhagya and Gruha Jyoti, which he said “bettered the world” for ordinary citizens.

The Chief Minister claimed that during his earlier tenure (2013–2018), his government fulfilled 157 of 165 promises, delivering over 95% of its commitments. In the current term, 243 of 593 assurances are already completed, he added.

Power-sharing formula still unconfirmed

After the Congress swept the 2023 Karnataka Assembly polls, both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar were top contenders for the CM post. The high command eventually appointed Siddaramaiah as Chief Minister and gave Shivakumar the Deputy CM position.

At the time, several reports suggested a rotational chief minister formula under which Shivakumar would take over after 2.5 years. However, the party never confirmed this, and Siddaramaiah has consistently denied any such arrangement.