Kanakapura: Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Tuesday said he did not want to discuss the CM change issue publicly, as it is a “secret deal” between “five and six of us” in the party, and that he believes in his conscience.

Shivakumar, who is also the state Congress President said that he doesn’t want to cause any embarrassment for the party and weaken 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 CM Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar in 2023.

Earlier in the day, Shivakumar, who had not met AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge when the latter was in the city for the past few days, amid the ongoing power game in the state, however, accompanied him to the airport as he left for the national capital. “I don’t know. I have not asked to make me the CM. It is a secret deal between five and six of us. I don’t want to speak publicly on this. I believe in my conscience. We should work with our conscience. I don’t want to cause embarrassment to the party in any way and weaken it. If the party is there, we are there. If karyakartas are there, we are there,” Shivakumar said in response to a question about whether he becoming the CM would be final.

Speaking to reporters in his home constituency, Kanakapura, he said, “The CM has spoken. He is a senior leader. He is an asset for the party. He has completed 7.5 years as CM (including an earlier 5 years term from 2013-2018).”

Siddaramaiah has said that he will be presenting the next budget too. “I’m very happy. He had served as opposition leader in the past. He has also worked and built the party. We should all work together with the target of 2028 (assembly polls) and target 2029 (Lok Sabha polls),” he further said.