The Congress party's internal leadership tussle in Karnataka intensified on Thursday, with rival camps mobilising amid uncertainty over Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s continuation in the top post.
Sources said that Siddaramaiah’s camp is on high alert and ready to rush to Delhi to press the central leadership to retain him as Chief Minister. The Chief Minister himself is adopting a “wait-and-watch” approach after openly acknowledging “confusion” earlier this week and urging the party high command to “put a full stop” to the ongoing speculation.
According to sources, Siddaramaiah’s loyalists are prepared to spring into action the moment Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge or senior leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi give even the slightest indication that Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar – who has publicly downplayed any ambition to replace his boss – is being considered for promotion.
If the party leadership still pushes for a change of guard, Siddaramaiah’s supporters are ready to present a list of alternative names acceptable to their camp, a move that highlights the deep divisions between the Chief Minister and his deputy, who have been at loggerheads over the top job ever since the Congress stormed to power in the 2023 assembly elections.
One of the names reportedly on that list is Home Minister G Parameshwara, a staunch Siddaramaiah supporter and a prominent Dalit leader in the state. Parameshwara recently stirred speculation when he declared, “I’ve always been in the race (to be Chief Minister).”
The counter-strategy was reportedly finalised on Wednesday at a meeting chaired by Public Works Department Minister Satish Jarkiholi, another key Siddaramaiah loyalist. Speaking to national media, Jarkiholi stressed that the party’s leadership in Delhi must resolve the matter once and for all.
Jarkiholi has also held a one-on-one meeting with DK Shivakumar, though neither side disclosed what was discussed.
Also Read: Shivakumar, MLAs rush to Delhi amid power swap buzz
Sources say Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, and Rahul Gandhi are likely to hold a crucial meeting either today or tomorrow to deliberate and settle the leadership question. An visibly frustrated Kharge told reporters, “Sonia, Rahul, and I will fix it…” The plan, once the top trio reaches a decision, is to call both Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar to Delhi for a final discussion.
Throughout the crisis, DK Shivakumar has maintained a largely non-confrontational public posture, making all the politically correct statements – including endorsing Siddaramaiah for the Chief Minister’s post he himself covets and distancing himself from overzealous supporters, such as Ramanagara MLA Iqbal Hussain, who claimed Shivakumar was “200 per cent sure” to become CM.
Yet Shivakumar has allowed a few pointed, cryptic remarks to surface, including repeated references to the importance of “honouring promises” – a clear message aimed at Siddaramaiah.
Also Read: Shivakumar loyalists seek power shift in Karnataka
The rift between the two leaders dates back to the Congress’s victory in the 2023 Karnataka assembly elections. The party ultimately chose Siddaramaiah as Chief Minister, a decision that rankled Shivakumar, who believed he deserved the post for masterminding the campaign.
As a compromise, Shivakumar was appointed Deputy Chief Minister and allowed to retain his position as Karnataka Congress president – a rare exception to the party’s “one man, one post” rule. At the time, there were widespread reports of an informal “agreement” among senior leaders – a reference Shivakumar himself later alluded to as a “secret deal between five or six of us” – that Siddaramaiah would step down halfway through the five-year term to make way for his deputy.
That halfway mark passed last week. Since then, legislators loyal to Shivakumar have intensified pressure on the high command to enforce the leadership rotation. Shivakumar has made little effort to hide his own ambition; just days ago, he dropped a strong hint by suggesting he might resign as state Congress president.
Also Read: K’taka Cong on edge as Shivakumar camp steps up lobbying
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