Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has been called to Delhi on Tuesday (May 26) for a meeting with the Congress high command amid fresh speculation over the leadership change in the state. Siddaramaiah is expected to arrive in Delhi late this evening. Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar is also expected to arrive in Delhi.
Both the leaders are expected to meet the Congress high command. The Congress top brass may take a decision regarding Karnataka during the meeting.
Agenda of the meeting
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is advocating for a cabinet reshuffle in the state, whereas the Deputy Chief Minister desires to be elevated to the post of Chief Minister and is not in favor of a cabinet reshuffle. A decision regarding either a reshuffle or a change in leadership may be taken during Tuesday’s meeting.
There is a possibility that Siddaramaiah may discuss the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections during his meeting with the Congress high command.
The party is considering fielding the Congress President for one seat and a prominent Lingayat figure for another; discussions are ongoing regarding the third seat, with the name of the Deputy Chief Minister's brother, DK Suresh, also being considered.
Political circles are also speculating about the actual purpose of the meeting, with discussions likely to include preparations for the upcoming Legislative Council elections in Karnataka, apart from the ongoing leadership buzz surrounding the state government.
However, there is still no clarity on whether Siddaramaiah’s meeting with the party high command in New Delhi is related to a possible leadership transition or aimed solely at discussing a cabinet reshuffle.
Kharge holds meeting with Siddaramaiah, Shivakumar
Earlier on May 20, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge held discussions with Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar. According to news agency PTI sources, Kharge travelled from Thiruvananthapuram to Bengaluru along with Siddaramaiah, Shivakumar, and senior leaders, and they later held discussions at the residence of state Energy Minister K J George on Monday.
According to sources, discussions during the gathering revolved around recent political developments in the state and the continuing speculation surrounding the chief ministerial post.
Karnataka power tussle
The development comes three years into the Congress government's tenure and amid a prolonged power tussle between Siddaramaiah and his Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar over the chief minister's post.
The leadership-sharing issue gained further momentum after the Congress government completed the halfway mark of its tenure in November last year, reigniting speculation over a possible rotational chief minister arrangement between the two senior leaders.
Over the past 18 months, Shivakumar's supporters have repeatedly asserted that he would soon take over as Chief Minister, though the transition has not occurred. "It's been the same tune for three years now," a senior party functionary said.
Shivakumar and the legislators backing him remain hopeful that the Congress leadership will honour the alleged power-sharing promise made at the time of government formation and hand over the Chief Minister's post to him.
On the other hand, the Siddaramaiah camp is confident that the veteran leader will be allowed to complete his full five-year tenure as Chief Minister.
Amid the ongoing political churn, another group of senior Congress leaders has also started lobbying before the party high command. Led by Satish Jarkiholi and Home Minister G Parameshwara, the group has reportedly argued that if a leadership change does take place, the Chief Minister's post should be given to a Dalit leader, claiming such a move could benefit the party in the 2028 Assembly elections.
Discontent is reportedly growing within the state unit, with several leaders urging the high command to end the confusion quickly. They argue that the prolonged uncertainty is hurting the party's image in Karnataka. So far, the central leadership has avoided a final call, citing various reasons.
Overall, Siddaramaiah’s Delhi visit is being seen as politically significant amid growing speculation over a possible leadership change. Party insiders believe that if the high command opts only for a cabinet reshuffle instead of changing the Chief Minister, Shivakumar's long-standing ambition to become CM may remain unfulfilled during the current Congress term.
Also Read: Buzz mounts on Karnataka CM change after Shivakumar's Delhi meetings, says 'time will answer'
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