Karnataka Congress Leaders DK Shivakumar, MB Patil Call 'Truce' at Chintan Shivir

Even though Karnataka Congress President D K Shivakumar and the party’s campaign committee chief M B Patil seemed to have called for a truce after the former’s statement raised heckles, there seems to be no end to the public spat between their supporters. Shivakumar and Patil on Friday met at the party’s ‘Chintan Shivir’ in Rajasthan’s Udaipur, where Leader of the Opposition and former chief minister Siddaramaiah is said to have got them together and brokered peace. Sharing a picture of them together, Shivakumar tweeted, “Sharing a light-hearted moment with my friend and fellow colleague Sri @MBPatil at Congress Party’s #ChintanShivir in Udaipur.” Former Congress MP Divya Spandana, who had expressed surprise over Shivakumar casting aspersions on Patil, while urging leaders to fight as one unit, took to Twitter by complementing party general secretary in-charge of Karnataka Randeep Singh Surjewala and another party functionary for the truce. Earlier on Thursday, Shivakumar expressing surprise over the controversy following his statement said, “When asked by reporters about Narayan meeting Patil, I said the former may have met the latter seeking protection…If someone is hurt, we will discuss inside the party.” According to several party insiders, the turn of events showed factions within the Karnataka Congress and such incidents are damaging to the party as it prepares for the 2023 assembly polls.