Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar. (Image source: X/@DKShivakumar and X/@siddaramaiah)
The Congress high command is preparing to call Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar to New Delhi as the political crisis in the state continues to worsen. Senior leaders in Delhi are reportedly “furious” with the ongoing drama, especially with MLAs from both camps travelling to the capital and openly airing their demands.
According to News18, the main focus of the high-level meeting will be to firmly instruct both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar to control their supporters and stop public statements that are damaging the party’s image. The leadership believes that the continued pressure tactics and counter-claims are hurting the Karnataka government as well as the Congress at the national level.
The report claims that the final decision on the leadership issue will rest with Rahul Gandhi. A News18 report suggests that Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and Randeep Surjewala are in favour of making Shivakumar the Chief Minister, while Rahul Gandhi and KC Venugopal want Siddaramaiah to complete his full term. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge is reportedly undecided.
Both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar have told the party that the ongoing confusion must end soon. However, top Congress sources maintain that no reshuffle or change of guard is expected before January to March.
A section of leaders close to Kharge has suggested him as a compromise candidate if the standoff becomes impossible to manage. Kharge, a major Dalit face, is also weighing the political impact of returning to state politics versus staying on as AICC president.
The high command is expected to present multiple options to the CM and DCM, including a cooling-off period until January, a final decision after the March budget, projecting Shivakumar as the face for the 2028 elections, or even exchanging positions between Kharge and Siddaramaiah.
Tensions between the two camps have risen sharply. Siddaramaiah’s supporters argue that he has delivered on governance and guarantees, and removing him now would harm the party in upcoming elections. Shivakumar’s camp insists he must either take over or be declared the sole chief ministerial candidate for 2028.
Shivam Verma is a journalist with over three years of experience in digital newsrooms. He currently works at NewsX, having previously worked for Firstpost and DNA India. A postgraduate diploma holder in Integrated Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai, Shivam focuses on international affairs, diplomacy, defence, and politics. Beyond the newsroom, he is passionate about football—both playing and watching—and enjoys travelling to explore new places and cuisines.
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