Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar refuted claims of a rift between him and Siddaramaiah and said that no CM face will be announced for the 2023 assembly elections.

“There is no problem in Karnataka Congress and there will be only one thing that will be a collective leadership. No CM face will be announced. I don’t have any rift with anyone except political differences with BJP and JDS,” said DK Shivakumar.

A lot of trouble is brewing in Karnataka BJP, said Shivakumar and predicted that there will be a change of leadership.

“We had to plan our stand. A lot of people are trying to approach us and a lot of issues are there, we discussed those issues including phone tapping,” he added.

On Tuesday, the Congress high command had summoned the two heavyweights to iron out their differences and during the meeting, Rahul Gandhi asked them to work together.

The two senior members of Congress have been at loggerheads on who will be the face of the party for the 2023 assembly elections.

According to TOI, the former Congress president instructed Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah to fight the assembly polls under collective leadership and also warned them against projecting themselves as the chief ministerial candidate.

Addressing the press conference after the meeting, Siddaramaiah said that Rahul Gandhi gave them some advice, which will be followed sincerely.

“There are minor differences of opinion. Congress has a strong internal democracy. Having a difference of opinion is part of a democratic setup, but we will remain united,” he said.

On Saturday, Shivakumar had claimed that many BJP leaders belonging to the Lingayat community are willing to join the Congress.

Earlier today, a delegation of 40 seers under the leadership of Siddalinga Swamiji of Siddaganga Mutt met Karnataka Chief Minister Yediyurappa and urged the BJP leadership to allow him to complete his term.