K'taka leadership issue: CM Siddaramaiah, Deputy CM Shivakumar to meet Cong high command

Amid buzz over a leadership change and cabinet reshuffle in Karnataka, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar are scheduled to meet the Congress high command on May 26.

Siddaramaiah on Monday said the Congress high command invited him to Delhi for a meeting. He, however, said he was unaware of the meeting's agenda.

While Shivakumar initially said he would go to the national capital if called by the Congress high command, he later confirmed that he was going.

''I'm invited to Delhi. Tomorrow there is a meeting by 11 am. I don't know the subject. But, I'm invited. Last night, K C Venugopal (AICC general secretary - Organisation) called me and intimated to me about the date and the meeting,'' Siddaramaiah told reporters in response to a question on his visit to the national capital.

To a question regarding speculation surrounding his meeting with the high command, he said, ''It is always there.''.

Some Ministers considered close to the CM, like Satish Jarkiholi, G Parameshwara, H C Mahadevappa and a few others are also headed to Delhi.

Meanwhile, responding to reporters' queries on his Delhi visit, Shivakumar, who is also the state Congress chief, said, ''During a certain situation, I will have to go, I'm going.''.

As per the Deputy CM's tour plan shared with the media, Shivakumar will leave for Delhi tonight, to meet Union Ministers on Tuesday, and his return journey has been kept ''open.''.

Earlier in the day, Shivakumar said, ''If I'm called (by the high command), I will go.....I don't know what Surjewala (AICC General Secretary in-charge of Karnataka Randeep Singh Surjewala, who is in Bengaluru) will tell. I will ask him. If he asks me to come (to Delhi), I will go. Otherwise, I will stay here.''.

Not wanting to respond to a question about the CM change issue, Shivakumar said, ''I don't know about it, I don't want to comment on it, it's not my job.''.

Speculations are rife about the leadership change and cabinet reshuffle, as the government completed three years in office on May 20.

According to party and official sources, although the Congress high command is widely expected to discuss resolving the leadership tussle between Siddaramaiah and his deputy Shivakumar, discussions may also involve upcoming elections to four Rajya Sabha seats from Karnataka, of which Congress can win three. The rollout of SIR of electoral rolls in the state might also figure in the meeting.

Speaking to reporters here, Surjewala also said, ''Rajya Sabha elections have been notified, Council (Legislative Council) elections will happen after that. The party continues to have consultations. So please do not speculate. I quash all other speculations.''.

Meanwhile, responding to a question on BJP national president Nitin Nabin reportedly asking party leaders in Karnataka to work for a party win in 2028, Shivakumar said, ''Write it down: in 2028 this same D K Shivakumar, Congress government will be here (in power).''.

''Let him (Nabin) say anything. What did Amit Shah say in 2023--that the BJP would get 122 seats and had asked his party leaders to prepare for the swearing-in. I had said Congress will win 136 seats....'' he added.

Supporters of Shivakumar have been insisting on his elevation in line with a reported power-sharing agreement with Siddaramaiah when the party won the 2023 Assembly elections.

Siddaramaiah has repeatedly asserted that he will complete full five years. He also stated that he will abide by the high command's decision and would visit Delhi to discuss if called by the party.

Shivakumar, on his part, has consistently maintained that he will abide by the Congress leadership's decision, and time will reveal the outcome regarding the CM change.

Several party leaders are worried that the leadership issue is impacting governance and the image of the Congress government. They have openly demanded that the high command resolve the issue, keeping the party's prospects in the 2028 Assembly polls in mind.

Several AHINDA (Kannada acronym for minorities, backward classes, and Dalits) leaders in the party, seen as part of Siddaramaiah's camp, want one of their own to occupy the coveted post if the leadership changes. Also, there is a demand for a ''Dalit CM,'' with AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge's name being floated by a section of the party, along with Home Minister G Parameshara.

Demand has also grown from a large section of Congress MLAs, who are ministerial aspirants to effect a Cabinet reshuffle, and give some of them an opportunity to serve as ministers by replacing a few existing ones.''.

Some aspirants have also traveled to Delhi to meet the party high command regarding this, while a few of them are planning another trip to the national capital by this month to push for the reshuffle.

According to party sources, while Siddaramaiah favours a Cabinet reshuffle, Shivakumar wants the party to decide on the leadership change first.

According to several party insiders, if the Congress high command approves the Cabinet reshuffle, it would signal that the incumbent CM will complete the full five-year term, which will scuttle Shivakumar's chances of occupying the coveted post.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)