Siddaramaiah says he, Shivakumar should abide by high command decision on leadership issue
Bengaluru (PTI): Expressing displeasure about repeated media queries on the leadership change issue in the state, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday asserted that he and his deputy D K Shivakumar should abide by the Congress high command's decision on the matter.
The CM also tried to play down reports about Congress legislators planning for a foreign tour, amid ongoing power tussle between him and Shivakumar for the CM post, stating that he was not aware of it, and that they may be going personally by spending their own money.
"Can't you (media) ask anything other than this (leadership change issue)? You don't ask anything else, only this. It has been three months since you began this. Please don't ask me this again," a visibly upset Siddaramaiah told reporters here.
The CM was reacting to a question by reporters on former Congress MP and Shivakumar's brother D K Suresh's statement, with reference to the informal power-sharing pact that -- he is "still hopeful that, though delayed, the CM will keep his word."
Siddaramaiah further said, "The high command is aware, they will decide. I will abide by their decision. How many times should I tell you (reporters) this?"
He said, "Whether me or Shivakumar, we should abide by the high command's decision. The matter is left for the high command to decide. You (media) repeatedly ask the same thing. Don't you have anything else to ask?"
When told by reporters they were only seeking his response to the statement made by Suresh, Siddaramaiah said, "Ask those who make the statement. Why do you ask me? I will abide by the high command's decision."
Shivakumar, ahead of leaving for New Delhi on Tuesday, said that he has "no confusion" over the leadership issue, as he and Siddaramaiah have discussed the matter in presence of the Congress high command.
The power struggle between Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah has once again come to the fore, with the latter's son and MLC Yathindra last week insisting that his father will complete his five year team, with the party high command having given signal in this regard.
The leadership tussle within the ruling party has intensified amid speculation about a possible change of chief minister after the Congress government completed the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20, 2025.
The speculation has been fuelled by the reported "power-sharing" arrangement between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar at the time of the government formation in 2023.
To a question on some Congress legislators reportedly planning for a tour to Australia and New Zealand, the CM said, "If they go spending their own money, can we say no? MLAs and MLCs will be going on a foreign trip spending their own money."
Asked whether he is aware of the proposed foreign tour, he said, "No, I'm not aware of it."
To a query about the state budget, Siddaramaiah said, "I will announce the date after the festival (Shivaratri which is on February 15)."
Siddaramaiah, who also holds the finance portfolio, is holding a series of pre-budget meetings with various departments.
The 2026-27 Budget is likely to be presented in March, according to official sources. This would be Siddaramaiah's record 17th budget.
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Accused gunman at correspondents' dinner was believed to be targeting top officials, Blanche says
Washington (AP): The accused gunman who tried to storm the ballroom at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner with guns and knives travelled across the country before the event and is believed to have been targeting members of the Trump administration, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said Sunday.
Blanche also said officials believe the suspect traveled by train from California to Chicago and then on to Washington, where in recent days he checked in as a guest to the hotel where one of Washington's glitziest events was being held Saturday night.
Investigators have not publicly named the suspect, but two law enforcement officials familiar with the matter have identified him to The Associated Press as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen of Torrance, California.
Law enforcement officials who have examined the gunman's electronic devices and his writings preliminarily believe he intended to target administration members in attendance at the dinner. He attempted to charge into the cavernous ballroom at the Washington Hilton but was tackled to the ground in a chaotic scene that resulted in shots being fired, President Donald Trump being hurried off the stage and guests ducking for cover beneath their tables.
“It does appear that he did in fact set out to target folks who work in the administration, likely including the president,” Blanche told NBC's “Meet the Press.”
The suspect is believed to have purchased the firearms he carried within the last couple of years, Blanche said. He is not being cooperative and is expected to face multiple charges on Monday.
Video posted by Trump showed the suspect running past security barricades as Secret Service agents ran toward him. One officer was shot in a bullet-resistant vest but was recovering, officials said. The gunman was taken into custody and was not injured, but was being evaluated at a hospital, police said.
“He failed,” Blanche said on CBS's “Face the Nation.” “Law enforcement did their jobs.”
Social media posts that appear to match the suspect show he is a highly educated tutor and amateur video game developer.
A May 2025 profile photo of Allen appears to match the appearance of the man in a photo of the alleged attacker being taken into custody that was posted Saturday night by Trump. The photo, posted to the social networking site LinkedIn, shows him in a cap and gown after graduating with a master's degree in computer science from California State University, Dominguez Hills.
Allen earned a bachelor's degree in 2017 in mechanical engineering from the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. He listed his involvement there in a Christian student fellowship and a campus group that battled with Nerf guns.
The shooting at the security barricades happened minutes after the event got underway.
The Secret Service and other authorities swarmed the room as guests ducked under tables by the hundreds. Gasps echoed through the ballroom as guests realized something was happening. Hundreds of journalists immediately got on phones to call in information.
“Out of the way, sir!” someone yelled. Others yelled to duck. From one corner, a “God Bless America” chant began as the president was escorted offstage. Outside the hotel, members of the National Guard and other authorities flooded the area as helicopters circled overhead.
After an initial attempt to resume the event, it was scrapped for the night and will be rescheduled.
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