No one can stop DK Shivakumar from becoming CM: Cong leader Veerappa Moily
Udupi (Karnataka), Mar 2 (PTI): Veteran Congress leader Veerappa Moily on Sunday stated that no one can prevent Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar from becoming the CM of the state, as it is a "settled matter".
The former chief minister also asserted that it is only a matter of time before Shivakumar assumes the CM's post, as it is something bound to happen.
"I was the one who ensured that Shivakumar got his first ticket to contest as an MLA. Today, he has emerged as a successful leader in Karnataka. Let's all wish for him to become the chief minister at the earliest," Moily said.
Addressing a Congress event at Karkala, he noted that despite being the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President, Shivakumar has worked tirelessly, even in challenging times for the party at the national level, and has contributed to the party's rise to power in other states as well.
Praising Shivakumar's leadership and organisational efforts, the former union minister addressed him—who was seated on the dais—saying, "Several statements may come and go, but no one can stop you from becoming the chief minister."
"There is no need to worry about this. If someone criticises it, they may do so for their satisfaction, but no one can prevent Shivakumar from becoming CM. The post is not a gift granted by someone; it is something he has earned for himself," Moily added.
Political circles in the state, especially within the ruling Congress party, have been rife with speculation about a leadership change later this year, reportedly under a "rotational Chief Minister" or "power-sharing" agreement.
Shivakumar, who also serves as the state Congress President, has been a strong aspirant for the Chief Ministerial position and has been vocal about his ambition to take on the role.
Moily reiterated that Shivakumar becoming CM is "100 per cent certain" and advised him not to react to the ongoing discussions.
"It is a settled matter. It has already been decided—by the people, by history. No one can stop it; it is just a matter of time," he said.
"There is no need for anyone, including his supporters, to claim credit for making him the CM. Despite countless efforts, no one will be able to prevent this from happening. Shivakumar becoming CM is inevitable," he added.
Following the Karnataka Assembly election results in May 2023, there was intense competition between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar for the chief minister's post.The
Congress leadership eventually convinced Shivakumar to accept the role of Deputy Chief Minister.
At the time, reports suggested that a compromise had been reached under a "rotational Chief Minister" formula, under which Shivakumar would take over as CM after two and a half years. However, the party has never officially confirmed this arrangement.
Earlier in the day, Congress MLA Basavaraju V Shivaganga stated that Shivakumar would become the Chief Minister by December.
These remarks come amid assertions from several ministers and leaders considered close to Siddaramaiah, who have ruled out any leadership change and insisted that the incumbent CM will serve a full five-year term.
These statements also defy Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge's recent warning, urging party members to "shut up" and focus on governance instead of making public remarks about the leadership transition.
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Cong takes swipe at PM over India not being part of US-led 'Pax Silica' grouping
New Delh (PTI) The Congress on Saturday said it is perhaps not very surprising that India is not part of a US-led strategic initiative to build a secure silicon supply chain, given the "sharp downturn" in the Trump-Modi ties, and asserted that it would have been to "our advantage if we had been part of this group".
Congress general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying the news of India not being part of the group comes after the PM had enthusiastically posted on social media about a telephone call with his "once-upon-a-time good friend and a recipient of many hugs in Ahmedabad, Houston, and Washington DC".
In a lengthy post on X, Ramesh said, "According to some news reports, the US has excluded India from a nine-nation initiative it has launched to reduce Chinese control on high-tech supply chains. The agreement is called Pax Silica, clearly as a counter to Pax Sinica. The nations included (for the moment at least) are the US, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Australia."
"Given the sharp downturn in the Trump-Modi ties since May 10th, 2025, it is perhaps not very surprising that India has not been included. Undoubtedly, it would have been to our advantage if we had been part of this group."
"This news comes a day after the PM had enthusiastically posted on his telephone call with his once-upon-a-time good friend and a recipient of many hugs in Ahmedabad, Houston, and Washington DC," the Congress leader asserted.
The new US-led strategic initiative, rooted in deep cooperation with trusted allies, has been launched to build a secure and innovation-driven silicon supply chain.
According to the US State Department, the initiative called 'Pax Silica' aims to reduce coercive dependencies, protect the materials and capabilities foundational to artificial intelligence (AI), and ensure aligned nations can develop and deploy transformative technologies at scale.
The initiative includes Japan, South Korea, Singapore, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Australia. With the exception of India, all other QUAD countries -- Japan, Australia and the US -- are part of the new initiative.
New Delhi will host the India-AI Impact Summit 2026 on February 19-20, focusing on the principles of 'People, Planet, and Progress'. The summit, announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the France AI Action Summit, will be the first-ever global AI summit hosted in the Global South.
Prime Minister Modi and US President Trump on Thursday discussed ways to sustain momentum in the bilateral economic partnership in a phone conversation amid signs of the two sides inching closer to firming up a much-awaited trade deal.
The phone call between the two leaders came on a day Indian and American negotiators concluded two-day talks on the proposed bilateral trade agreement that is expected to provide relief to India from the Trump administration's whopping 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods.
In a social media post, Modi had described the conversation as "warm and engaging".
"We reviewed the progress in our bilateral relations and discussed regional and international developments. India and the US will continue to work together for global peace, stability and prosperity," Modi had said without making any reference to trade ties.
