BENGALURU: At a time when both Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar’s camps are anticipating a cabinet reshuffle and a possible change in leadership in Karnataka, the Congress high command is unlikely to take any hasty decision, said highly placed party sources.
The top brass is in no mood to make any drastic political change in Karnataka, as it does not want to brew a new crisis in its southern stronghold, added the sources.
The results of the Bihar Assembly elections are likely to have an effect on Karnataka politics. Shivakumar has indirectly sent out a strong message that he may stake a claim for the CM’s post if the Mahaghatbandhan comes to power in Bihar. Shivakumar even interacted with people from Bihar living in Bengaluru on Sunday evening ahead of joining the campaign.
If the Mahagathbandhan clinches power, it may help the Congress high command take a decision on a change in leadership or a cabinet reshuffle and put an end to the speculation, a Congress MLA told The New Indian Express.
But if the results are not in favour of the INDIA bloc, there may be a delay, and it may drag up to May-June 2026, when the Congress government completes three years in office, the MLA added. “The Congress high command will take a suitable decision that will not affect the stability of the Karnataka government,” the MLA added.
The high command has already started taking feedback from Congress legislators on the repercussions of the changes, if any. “The high command will take a decision keeping in view the party’s interest in the long run,” another legislator told The New Indian Express.
A source informed that election strategist Sunil Kanugol is also likely to file a report on the mood of Congress legislators to high command leaders, including the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi.