Karnataka power tussle: After meeting Rahul, DK Shivakumar cancels Davos trip

Amid a leadership tussle in the Karnataka Congress government, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, who met the party's senior leader Rahul Gandhi twice this week, on Saturday (January 17), cancelled his scheduled visit to the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland.

The decision to skip the Davos summit to be held from January 18 and Shivakumar heading to Delhi again on Saturday night has fuelled speculations about the stability of the current leadership.

Rahul's conversation with CM, Dy CM

It also comes in the backdrop of Rahul’s brief conversation with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar on Tuesday evening, sparking rumours that the high command may be addressing the ongoing power tussle.

Also read: No message from Rahul Gandhi as reported in media: DK Shivakumar

Again on Friday, Shivakumar met Rahul. And, when asked about the meeting, he did not disclose anything. “I can’t disclose all these things. It is not an issue to be discussed in public. It is between me, the party high command, and my chief minister.”

On Friday, Shivakumar was in Delhi to attend the Assam State Leadership and Observers’ meeting with party president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul, and other leaders.

Bidar to Delhi

According to Shivakumar’s office, the decision to skip the Davos trip is due to official engagements in Delhi and Bengaluru.

"The Deputy CM has a series of meetings lined up with AICC functionaries regarding Assam assembly elections and is also spearheading the campaign against the union government over MGNREGA, due to which a five-day special session of the Karnataka Assembly is scheduled to begin from January 22," his office said in a release on Saturday.

On Saturday evening, Shivakumar attended the funeral of former minister Bheemanna Khandre, who died on Friday, at the age of 102, in Bidar. Later, he will travel to New Delhi via Hyderabad at night.