The Congress on Monday summoned Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy DK Shivakumar to Delhi, with people aware of the developments saying the party was looking to end a long-running tussle for the chief minister’s post.
The party officially confirmed that it was a routine meeting in the backdrop of the upcoming Rajya Sabha and Legislative Council elections. But Siddaramaiah may be offered a formula in which he steps down in exchange for a Rajya Sabha seat and a possible ministerial post for his son Yatindra – a member of the state legislative council – in return, the people cited above said.
“The three decision-makers — party president Mallikarjun Kharge, general secretary in-charge KC Venugopal, and state in charge Randeep Surjewala — are in favor of transfer of power,” a party leader familiar with the details said.
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After the Congress party scored its biggest victory in a generation in Karnataka in 2023, the government has been mired in tensions over the top job. Siddaramaiah, who has served as chief minister twice and built a popular coalition of backwards, Dalits and Muslims that propelled the Congress to a rare victory over the BJP, agreed to swap power midway through the five-year term, but has so far blocked Shivakumar, the party’s chief reformer and election financier, the people cited above said.
Now, with almost two years to go for the next Assembly elections and the government in the doldrums, the Congress leadership is set to ask the 77-year-old Prime Minister to move to the Rajya Sabha – four seats, including that of party president Mallikarjun Kharg, will go to the polls from Karnataka in June, of which the Congress is expected to win three.
But the party is also open to the possibility that Siddaramaiah will not agree to Shivakumar succeeding him, even if he agrees to cede power, the people cited above said. In this case, the party may present Karji as a compromise candidate for the post of Prime Minister, also paving the way for Rahul Gandhi to field KC Venugopal as the party’s next president and opening up the central party organization to a much-needed overhaul. “However, this is the most distant option so far,” said a commander familiar with the developments.
Siddaramaiah played his cards close to his chest.
“I am invited to Delhi. Tomorrow there is a meeting by 11 am. I don’t know the topic. But I am invited. Last night, KC Venugopal called me and informed me about the date and the meeting,” Siddaramaiah told reporters in Bengaluru.
Shivakumar, who is also state Congress president, was also cautious. “During a certain situation, I will have to leave, I will go.”
The two leaders arrived in Delhi later in the evening.
The Congress government in the state completed three years on May 20.
Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge – Mallikarjun Kharge’s son – said the Delhi consultations were linked to those election appointments. “The high command has summoned the prime minister and deputy chief minister to discuss Rajya Sabha seats. We also have a lot of MLC seats that will open in less than 15 to 20 days. So they will discuss that with the high command,” he said.
A leadership crisis has been haunting the Congress government for months, and previous attempts to broker a solution have failed, but party leaders now feel there may not be as much rebellion from Siddaramaiah this time, the people cited above said.
The reasons are twofold. First, Siddaramaiah—the only Other Backward Classes party in the party—controls more legislators, but every legislator is aware of the government’s poor ratings. “There is a feeling that if things are allowed to continue, the party’s chance of making a comeback in the 2028 House elections will be very slim,” said a leader familiar with the details who requested anonymity.
Siddaramaiah’s supporters hope that while the Congress is locked in a big fight against incumbency, it would be better for Shivakumar to take the helm and be defeated in 2028, thus crushing his leadership claims once and for all, the people cited above said.
(With inputs from Arun Dev in Bengaluru)
