Congress brass takes time off from Karnataka imbroglio
BENGALURU: The Congress high command, which managed to get Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar to sit for a breakfast meeting on Saturday and project a united front seems to have taken a break from deciding on changing the chief minister or allowing a cabinet expansion, both fraught with large political consequences in the state.
The Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) meeting in Delhi on Sunday that was chaired by senior leader Sonia Gandhi and attended by AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal, communication in-charge Jairam Ramesh among others did not take up issues concerning the state. It only focused on issues to be taken up during the winter session of Parliament which is starting Monday.
This could mean that the high command may not summon Siddaramaiah or Shivakumar anytime soon to Delhi to discuss the power transfer issue. The top leadership could consider it only after the Parliament session and state legislature session, which concludes on December 19.
Siddaramaiah’s sympathisers, including former minister KN Rajanna, said the high command will definitely approve a cabinet reshuffle which could happen in January 2026 ahead of the Karnataka budget session.
“Shivakumar has got more than he deserves, but he is a good organiser. I wish him to be CM in future, but not in this five-year term of Congress. Siddaramaiah is a good administrator and a crowd puller. Without BS Yediyurappa, HD Deve Gowda family and Siddaramaiah, BJP, JDS and Congress just do not exist,” he commented.
But Shivakumar’s sympathisers believe the high command will decide on the change in leadership after Siddaramaiah breaks the record of late Devaraj Urs, who holds the distinction of being the longest serving chief minister at seven years and 238 days.
Siddaramaiah will cross the mark in January 2026. “If not in January, the CM will be changed in May 2026 after Siddaramaiah completes three years in office,” a Congress MLA from the Shivakumar camp said. Some Kharge sympathisers echoed a similar feeling.