Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar is set to visit New Delhi for meetings with Congress leaders and Union ministers, as speculation over state leadership dynamics resurfaces.

Bengaluru: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar is scheduled to travel to New Delhi on Tuesday, February 10, for a series of meetings with senior party functionaries and central leaders, a move that has reignited political chatter within the state unit of the Congress.

Speaking to reporters, Shivakumar said the visit was at the invitation of party leaders and would also include meetings with Union Jal Shakti Minister C. R. Patil and legal advisers. Brushing aside pointed questions about whether he was summoned by Rahul Gandhi, Shivakumar remarked that as both Deputy Chief Minister and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president, regular interactions with party leadership were part of his responsibilities.

He noted that he would seek clearance from Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for the visit, particularly as departmental pre-budget discussions are underway. On the irrigation front, Shivakumar said officials would brief the Chief Minister on the proposed Mekedatu balancing reservoir project on the Cauvery river.

The Deputy CM also revealed that he has ordered the formation of a Special Investigation Team in the Revenue Department to probe what he described as a coordinated nexus allegedly siphoning funds linked to irrigation works.

Analysis: While framed as routine party and administrative engagements, Shivakumar’s Delhi visit comes at a time when leadership equations within the Karnataka Congress are again under scrutiny. In a politically sensitive year, even standard consultations are likely to be read as signals, underscoring the delicate balance the party is managing in the state. This assessment reflects analytical opinion; all factual details above are drawn from the original content.