If Cong high command decides, I will continue as CM: Siddaramaiah
Chikkaballapura (Karnataka) (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday said if the Congress high command decides that he should continue in the post he will do so.
The high command will ultimately decide on the leadership change, he said, adding that he and Deputy CM D K Shivakumar should accept it.
The power tussle within the ruling party has intensified amid speculation about chief minister change in the state after the Congress government reached the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20, citing an alleged "power-sharing" agreement involving Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar in 2023.
"We will abide by the high command decision. If they decide I should continue (as CM), I will continue. Ultimately, whatever the high command decides, I should accept it. Shivakumar should also accept it," Siddaramaiah told reporters here.
Asked if Shivakumar would become the CM, he said, "When I have said the high command will decide, you (reporter) are asking me the same thing again."
Stating that four-five months ago, the high command had agreed for a Cabinet reshuffle, but he had suggested that let the government complete 2.5 years in office, the CM said, "Now we will follow whatever the high command decides."
Asked whether there was an agreement for power transfer after 2.5 years of the government, he merely said, "Will abide by the high command's decision."
Siddaramaiah on Saturday held more than an hour-long meeting with AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge at his residence in Bengaluru.
The CM's meeting with Kharge had come after some legislators, about ten of them, supporting Shivakumar travelled to Delhi and met Kharge, as the Congress government completed 2.5 years in office on November 20.
Shivakumar, however, had then said he was not aware of legislators travelling to Delhi to meet Kharge.
Another batch of six Congress legislators backing Sivakumar has flown to New Delhi last night to meet Congress high command leaders, party sources said on Monday.
Few more legislators are likely to travel soon to pitch for Shivakumar as CM, they said.
Kharge, who is in Bengaluru, is scheduled to travel to Delhi, and Congress top leader Rahul Gandhi is likely to return from trip abroad, sources added.
While Siddaramaiah is pushing for a reshuffle of his Cabinet, Shivakumar wants the party to first decide on leadership change, party sources said.
According to several party insiders, if the Congress high command approves the Cabinet reshuffle, it would signal that Siddaramaiah will complete the full five-year term, which will scuttle the chances of Shivakumar from occupying the coveted post.
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Naval information leak case: Fourth accused held
Udupi (Karnataka) (PTI): The Udupi police have arrested another accused in a case involving the alleged transmission of confidential information related to the Indian Navy to Pakistan, taking the total number of arrests to four, officials said on Thursday.
The arrested accused has been identified as Alif Islam (21), a native of West Bengal, who was presently residing at Marayur village in Idukki district of Kerala, they said.
He was apprehended in connection with the alleged leak of a confidential list containing identification numbers of Indian naval vessels, police said.
According to investigators, the accused are suspected to have shared sensitive information through WhatsApp and Facebook with contacts in Pakistan without authorisation.
The case was registered at Malpe police station in 2025 following a complaint regarding the alleged illegal transmission of naval-related data, officials said.
Police said the investigation pertains to the alleged sharing of a classified list of ship numbers linked to the Indian Navy.
In November 2025, two accused -- Rohit and Santri from Uttar Pradesh -- were taken into custody in connection with the same case. Later, Hirendra Kumar from Gujarat was arrested in December 2025.
With the latest arrest, the number of persons held in the case has risen to four.
Police said one more accused is yet to be apprehended. The operator of the Facebook page allegedly used to transmit the information also remains at large.
Investigators suspect that Islam may be a Bangladeshi national, and efforts are on to verify his citizenship and other credentials.
Further investigation is under way, police added.
