Will Congress spring a surprise in Karnataka? All eyes on Delhi as CM Siddaramaiah meets Rahul Gandhi, top brass

Discussions are also expected to cover a possible Cabinet reshuffle or expansion, and nominations to Rajya Sabha and Legislative Council.

New Delhi: The Congress top leadership is set to hold crucial talks with Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah here on Tuesday to resolve the ongoing leadership tussle in the State.

The meeting, scheduled at about 11 am at Indira Bhavan, the Congress headquarters, will be attended by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, AICC general secretary (Organisation) K C Venugopal, and Karnataka in-charge general secretary Randeep Surjewala.

Siddaramaiah arrived in the national capital on Monday night, while Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar also reached Delhi later, triggering intense speculation of an imminent change in the State’s leadership.

Speaking to the media in Bengaluru before his departure, Siddaramaiah said he was unaware of the exact agenda of the meeting.

“I have been summoned to Delhi. I don’t know the subject of discussion. I have a meeting scheduled at 11 am (Tuesday). Speculation will always be there,” he remarked, referring to the long-running power struggle with his deputy.

The leadership crisis first surfaced prominently in November last year after the Congress government completed two-and-a-half years in office. 

Followers of Shivakumar, who is also Congress State president, had reminded the high command of an alleged power-sharing arrangement made ahead of the 2023 Assembly elections.

In January this year, Siddaramaiah created history by becoming Karnataka’s longest-serving Chief Minister, surpassing the record held by former Congress leader D Devaraj Urs.

Sources had indicated that “all issues” would be addressed during a high-level meeting by the end of May.

Discussions are also expected to cover a possible Cabinet reshuffle or expansion, and nominations for Rajya Sabha and Legislative Council seats.

Options before the high command 

The party leadership is weighing multiple options:

• Allowing Siddaramaiah to continue as Chief Minister and proceed with a long-pending Cabinet reshuffle, which would further consolidate his position.

• Strengthening Shivakumar’s role by giving him and his close aides more important portfolios and responsibilities.

• Offering Siddaramaiah a national role, possibly by nominating him to the Rajya Sabha and shifting him to Delhi.

• Persuading Siddaramaiah to step down in favour of Shivakumar to honour the reported power-sharing understanding.

However, sources say Siddaramaiah has already conveyed to the high command that if asked to resign, he would recommend Home Minister G Parameshwara — a Dalit leader — as his successor.

Siddaramaiah, the only backward caste Chief Minister among the four Congress-ruled States, continues to enjoy the support of the majority of party legislators in Karnataka.

The party had earlier managed to defuse the crisis through multiple rounds of meetings and public displays of unity between the two leaders.

The outcome of Tuesday's meeting is expected to bring clarity on the future leadership arrangement in Karnataka.