"Will not be surprised if Karnataka Congress splits": BJP's BY Vijayendra on tussle for CM post in state

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], November 28 (ANI): Karnataka BJP President BY Vijayendra on Friday took a dig at Congress amid the speculated power tussle between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar, saying it would not be surprising if Karnataka Congress splits into two factions.
While Vijayendra stated that the BJP has nothing to do with the "internal bickering" within the ruling Congress, he added, the state administration is being affected.
The BJP leader told ANI, "In May 2023, the people of Karnataka gave a mandate to the Congress. There were high expectations, but within a span of two-and-a-half years, people are desperate due to a lack of development, and the youth are unhappy as the promises have not been fulfilled. Due to an internal fight within the Congress, the administration is paralysed."
Further, he asked the Congress to resolve its issues before the upcoming Winter Session of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, which will begin on December 8.
"We (BJP) have nothing to do with the internal bickering of the Congress government. But, as the state is getting affected, what I said was that Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar should resolve the issues before the Winter Session starts, as there are demands from the farmers who are expecting compensation. DK Shivakumar is posing aggressively. I will not be surprised if a vertical split occurs within Congress," he said.
The tussle for the CM post reportedly began when the Congress government reached the halfway mark on November 20.
Meanwhile, Deputy CM DK Shivakumar dismissed speculation over discussions regarding a change of leadership in the state, asserting that he is "not in a hurry for anything" and had not held any talks with senior Congress leaders about the CM post.
Speaking to reporters in Mumbai, Shivakumar categorically denied meeting Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge or Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi during his visit to Mumbai.
"I have come for a family function. There was no meeting or anything. Why would I come to a meeting in Mumbai? If there has to be a meeting, it will be in Bangalore or Delhi," he said.
Responding to questions about whether he had raised the issue of the Karnataka Chief Minister's post with the party leadership, the Deputy Chief Minister said, "No... I am not in a hurry for anything."
Shivakumar's remarks come amid growing speculation about a change in the Chief Ministerial face of Karnataka, fueled by the "power-sharing agreement" of 2023 between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, which has been cited frequently in political circles.
Congress MLC and son of Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah, Yathindra Siddaramaiah, on Thursday backed his father for the Chief Ministerial post, saying he is unaware of any "power sharing agreement" between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar. (ANI)