The optics for the Congress cannot be worse – after a speculative threat from Kerala party leader Shashi Tharoor hinting he has other options, another big Congress leader from South, Deputy Chief Minister and KPCC president DK Shivakumar’s recent actions have given the jitters to the supporters of the grand old party.

Even as Shashi Tharoor matter is under the realms of speculation, of whether he could shift out of the party if sufficient provocation was provided, the Karnataka leader who is said to be at loggerheads with Chief Minister S Siddaramaiah, going by media reports over the past few weeks, said he will be going to Sadhguru’s ashram in Coimbatore for Mahashivaratri celebrations. He said he was grateful for the invite from Sadhguru and that no politics should be read into his personal decision relating to a matter of faith.

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“There is no rebellion, no personal differences with anyone. I have been invited by Jaggi Vasudev, and I will go there. I am a Hindu and have faith in a religion and it does not mean that I am coming close to the BJP at all,” Shivakumar said in an interaction with the media after his return from Delhi where he called on the Water Resources Minister with a slew of proposals on behalf of the state.

But, political analysts here see in this acceptance of an invite from Jaggi Vasudev, who is close to the top BJP leadership, a subtle message, although officially, DK Shivakumar dismissed any suggestions that he was angling towards the BJP.
When asked at an interaction with the deputy Chief Minister on Wednesday, the Congress leader stoutly denied any plans of shifting to the BJP.

The Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister had also visited Prayagraj for a holy dip in the Kumbha, which incidentally comes to a close today on Mahashivaratri. ”Nothing much should be read in the Mahakumbh pilgrimage,” Shivakumar said, adding that ”I am a born Congressman”.

”Visiting Prayagraj is a personal religious matter, and there is no politics in that, or for that matter in my intention to visit Coimbatore’s Isha foundation where ‘I have been invited by Jaggi Vasudev’, ” he pointed out.

“My visit to Maha Kumbh is my belief, and I respect all religions. Such speculations do not come even close to me; I don’t take the BJP’s allegations seriously,” Shivakumar said.

Given the spate of speculative statements coming from the Congress leaders on an ongoing power struggle within the party, contrary to the stout and staunch denials by the two leaders — DK Shivakumar and S Siddaramaiah — the tour programmes of the deputy chief minister are sure to fuel further rumours.

On Wednesday, DK made a conscious effort to deny all such speculations and said that he was committed to leading the party to victory in the next assembly elections in 2028. Also, a couple of days ago, Shivakumar declared that Siddaramaiah was the undisputed leader of the Congress and the government, putting to rest all speculations.

But the speculations don’t end, despite plain matter-of-fact dismissals by the duo. Shivakumar himself asked his supporters not to air such demands that he be made the chief minister. Dismissing calls from his supporters that he be made the CM, he said, “I don’t want anyone’s support. This is between me and the Congress party.”

Despite such assertions, talk within the Congress party remains focused on a possible leadership change.