BENGALURU: Change in leadership may continue to haunt Congress for some more time until Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi intervenes and takes a decision.
“I have nothing to say about it (change in leadership)... as the high command does it,” AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge told reporters at his residence on Sunday.
But speculation is rife whether he raised the issue of power sharing with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah when they met for over one-and-a-half hours at the former’s residence on Saturday evening.
When the party came to power in 2023, an agreement was reached where Siddaramaiah would give up his post as CM once he completes two-and-a-half years in office, giving way to DCM DK Shivakumar to assume charge for the rest of the term, sources said.
Reminding Siddaramaiah about that pact, Shivakumar’s younger brother DK Suresh during their recent visit to Delhi told the CM to keep his word, a source said. Arriving in Bengaluru, Suresh told reporters, “Siddaramaiah will keep his word.”
Highly placed sources said that Siddaramaiah tried to convince Kharge that he should continue as CM for the full term as some 25 senior leaders, including ministers and MLAs, panicked when it was proposed that he step down as CM. His continuation is in the best interest of the party and its prospects in the Assembly elections in 2028, he told Kharge, the sources added.
Sensing that Siddaramaiah is unlikely to give up his post voluntarily, Shivakumar has reportedly continued to collect signatures of MLAs in his favour. Some 30-32 have signed, while he wants to achieve the 50-mark, sources said. Siddaramaiah raised the signature campaign with Kharge, commenting that it is not a good development for the party and asked the AICC president to clear the confusion, a source said.
Countering Shivakumar, Siddaramaiah’s son Dr Yathindra is reaching out to MLAs and on Sunday he met Hubballi-Dharwad East MLA Abbayya Prasad, also a ministerial berth aspirant. Abbayya said if there is a change in leadership, Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara should be considered for the CM post.
CM’s camp leaders, including PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi and Social Welfare Minister Dr HC Mahadevappa, are also in favour of a Dalit CM strategy to counter Shivakumar. But Mahadevappa after meeting Kharge clarified that unless the high command decides on leadership change, the Dalit CM issue is irrelevant.
Siddaramaiah sympathiser and Shoshita Samudayagala Okkuta Convener KM Ramachandrappa, former general secretary of state Kurubara Sangha, warned that if Siddaramaiah is removed, Congress has to face tough times in the 2028 Assembly polls. If the change is inevitable, the party should consider those from AHINDA communities and Parameshwara fits the bill, he said.
Some months ago, Shivakumar had managed to stop Parameshwara’s plan to hold a Dalit legislators’ meeting, at Siddaramaiah instance, to gain their support. Shivakumar also submitted a report to Kharge recently that the majority of Dalit MLAs are in his favour, a source said.
Ministers meet Kharge
As Kharge was in town, leaders continued to throng him. Social Welfare Minister Dr HC Mahadevappa, Urban Development Minister Byrathi Suresh and Animal Husbandry Minister K Venkatesh, all from the CM’s camp, Hosadurga MLA Govindappa and Challakere MLA Raghumurthy and others visited Kharge.
Rousing welcome for DKS aide, Guj in-charge secretary
Amid the change in leadership issue in the state Congress, Deputy CM DK Shivakumar’s close aide and newly appointed AICC secretary in-charge of Gujarat, Srinivas B V, received a rousing reception on Sunday, during his maiden visit to Bengaluru after assuming his new role. On landing at the Kempegowda International Airport, Srinivas was greeted by a crowd of over 4,000 Congress workers. From the airport, supporters organised a bike and car rally, forming a convoy that escorted him all the way to the KPCC office.
George meets Kharge, DKS meets George
Energy Minister K J George called on AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge at the latter’s residence in Bengaluru and discussed the ongoing political developments. George, considered loyal to the Sonia Gandhi family, has been on good terms with both Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and DCM D K Shivakumar. Later, Shivakumar met George at the latter’s official residence on Race Course Road.