Bengaluru, Dec. 13 -- Deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar on Friday pushed back against speculation that a series of dinners with party colleagues signalled renewed tensions within the state's ruling Congress. He insisted that his recent engagements in Belagavi were social visits grounded in personal ties rather than political intent.

Speaking to reporters, Shivakumar said he routinely receives invitations from long-time party associates and workers and attends these gatherings as a gesture of goodwill. He dismissed claims that his presence at a dinner with legislators on the outskirts of Belagavi was part of a coordinated political effort."Friends from the region affectionately call me for lunch or dinner. How can I say no? It is not an...