Speculation over a possible leadership change in Karnataka intensified once again after marathon meetings between the Congress leadership, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D.K. Shivakumar in Delhi on Tuesday, even as the party dismissed the reports as “mere rumours”.
Sources said the Congress leadership has asked Siddaramaiah to step down to resolve the prolonged tussle between him and his deputy.
The two leaders were summoned to Delhi on Monday, where Rahul Gandhi is said to have told the chief minister that the party wanted a smooth transition.
However, Siddaramaiah reportedly sought time to respond and has also rejected the leadership’s suggestion that he contest a Rajya Sabha seat.
Even if Siddaramaiah agrees to step aside, people aware of the discussions said uncertainty persists over what would follow such a move. A leader said the chief minister may not endorse Shivakumar, leaving the succession issue unresolved.
The day saw a series of meetings spanning nearly six hours among Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, AICC general secretary K.C. Venugopal and AICC general secretary in charge of Karnataka Randeep Surjewala, with Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, who were consulted separately at the party headquarters.
Following the discussions, Rahul Gandhi and Venugopal are said to have briefed senior leader Sonia Gandhi on the meetings.
Some leaders said it is unusual for Rahul Gandhi to hold such long one-on-one meetings.
However, sources said the Congress leadership wants to proceed cautiously to avoid factional unrest, as Siddaramaiah continues to command strong support among MLAs, particularly from backward classes, Dalits and minorities, who view him as the party’s most influential mass leader. A
t the core of the leadership issue is Shivakumar’s demand that he be elevated to the chief minister’s post in accordance with a ‘promise’ that his supporters claim was made to him during the 2023 state Assembly elections.
Sources said discussions on a Cabinet reshuffle did not come up, as Shivakumar reportedly wanted to settle the leadership issue first, as it could otherwise be interpreted as an endorsement of Siddaramaiah’s leadership.
The party leaders, however, insisted that the issue of any leadership change was not discussed at the meeting.
“Today, the entire discussion was concentrated only on the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections and the Legislative Council elections of Karnataka.
“Whatever speculation you people are doing, that is only speculation, no reality at all. Today we discussed the Rajya Sabha seats and the Council seats of Karnataka,” Venugopal told the media after the meeting. He was flanked by Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar.
He said the candidates for the Rajya Sabha and Council seats in Karnataka will be announced along with those for Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.
“This is what we have decided today, and nothing else was discussed,” he asserted.
Asked about any leadership change, Siddaramaiah also said, “It is only a speculation”. Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar had arrived in the national capital, accompanied by MLAs who support them.
Asked if there was any discussion on leadership change, he replied emphatically with “no”. On a possible Cabinet reshuffle, the chief minister said, “It did not come up for discussion.”
Of the four Rajya Sabha seats falling vacant in Karnataka, the Congress can win three and the Bharatiya Janata Party one. Kharge’s Rajya Sabha seat is set to fall vacant in June, and he is likely to be re-elected from Karnataka.
The party may also field Shivakumar’s brother D.K. Suresh as one of the Rajya Sabha candidates, as well as a woman or an OBC nominee.
Congress leaders are also learnt to have discussed party candidates for the Legislative Council seats. The party is likely to secure four seats in the Legislative Council from the seven vacancies, based on its present strength in the state Assembly.
