Chief Minister aspirant and Karnataka state Congress president D K Shivakumar on Monday cancelled his Delhi trip, fuelling speculations that all is not well in the party over the issue of who will be CM.
He cited health reasons for the change in his travel plans, hours after he had initially confirmed that he would be flying to the national capital.
The senior party leader is locked in an intense power struggle with Siddaramaiah over who will lead the government, after the Congress stormed to power by winning 135 seats in the May 10 elections to the 224-member Karnataka Assembly.
Siddaramaiah, a former CM, who had left for Delhi by Monday afternoon to meet with AICC leaders, has reached there for discussions.
"I have some problem in the stomach. Doctor is coming in 10 minutes. It's burning. It looks like some infection and I have a fever... Please let me be free (for some time)...," Shivakumar told reporters.
Sources close to him confirmed that he is not going to Delhi today.
Amid speculations about the number of MLAs supporting him and Siddaramaiah for the post, Shivakumar earlier on Monday said his strength is 135, as under his presidency, the party won 135 Assembly seats.
He had said he along with Siddaramaiah have been called to Delhi by the party high command and that he will be going there late due to personal commitments.
"Since today is my birthday, a lot of people have come to wish me. I have to go to my deity with my family. After going there, I will leave for Delhi. I don't know what time I will be going to Delhi. I will take whichever flight is available," he said earlier today.
The Congress's central leadership will be deciding on the new chief minister, after its observers submitted a report on the opinion of the MLAs which they collected in the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting in Bengaluru on Sunday.
Responding to a question, Shivakumar said, "I still have 'poojas' to do, I have a birthday celebration at home. Shouldn't I bow down before the God for giving me strength and support of the people, let that get finished..." To a question on the number of MLAs with him, he said, "I'm not taking anyone with me, nor I have anyone with me. Congress has 135 legislators. Anyone can take anyone with them, I won't take anyone." He further asserted that he doesn't want anyone's support and that he has done his duty.
Asked about him claiming to be a 'single man', the KPCC chief reiterated, "I'm a single man, because I don't have a number. I never speak about my number. I don't follow personality worshiping, but do party worship. I have 135. I'm the party president, 135 is the number we (Congress) have today..." Responding to discussions about him being adamant about the CM post, Shivakumar said, "Let whoever discuss whatever they want. I don't bother. I won't answer you or anyone else's discussion. I have a sense of time, patience, and courage to fight." About Siddaramaiah's alleged claims that maximum MLAs are supporting him in the CM's race, he said he doesn't know about the secret ballot and the opinion of the MLAs.
"I don't have any MLAs, I don't know what MLAs opinion is...I have 135 MLAs and one associate member, so we have totally 136 MLAs now, they are Congress party MLAs...we have passed a resolution that we have authorised the high command. The high command will take the decision," he said.
In the May 10 elections to the 224-member Assembly, the Congress scored an emphatic victory with 135 seats, while the ruling BJP and the former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda-led Janata Dal (Secular) secured 66 and 19 seats, respectively.
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