Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar called off his proposed visit to the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, citing previous official engagements in New Delhi and Bengaluru.
According to an official statement issued on Saturday, Mr. Shivakumar is holding several meetings with AICC leaders in connection with the Assam Assembly elections. He is also leading a statewide campaign against the NDA government to have the Union government replace MGNREGA with the VB-G RAM G Act. A special session of the Karnataka legislature on the issue is scheduled to begin on January 22.
Inciting speculation
His decision to skip the Davos summit, scheduled for January 19-23, and his return to Delhi after earlier engagements have sparked speculation about the stability of the current leadership in the state.
The development follows a brief interaction between Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Mr Shivakumar in Mysuru on Tuesday, adding to rumors that the party high command may be interfering in the ongoing leadership tussle.
The internal power struggle within the ruling Congress has gathered momentum since the government crossed the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20. Speculation has also been fueled by reports of “power sharing” between Mr Siddaramaiah and Mr Shivakumar at the time of government formation in 2023.
Large and Medium Industries Minister MB Patil will instead represent Karnataka at the World Economic Forum.
Published – 17 Jan 2026 19:37 IST