Congress Likely To Hand Karnataka Chief Minister Post To DK Shivakumar As Siddaramaiah May Step Down

The long running leadership debate within the Congress in Karnataka appears to be nearing an end, with senior party leaders reportedly backing Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar for the top post.

According to sources, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is expected to resign within the next few days. The Congress high command has reportedly offered him a Rajya Sabha seat along with a larger role at the national level in Delhi. Sources added that Siddaramaiah has sought some time before making a final decision.

The development comes after a lengthy meeting of senior Congress leaders in Delhi. While the party officially stated that the discussions were focused on upcoming Rajya Sabha and Legislative Council elections, speculation over leadership change continued to grow.

Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal dismissed reports of any other discussions and maintained that the meeting was only about the elections. However, sources indicated that the leadership transition in Karnataka was a major topic behind closed doors.

The issue of who would lead the Karnataka government has been a sensitive matter within the Congress since the party came to power in 2023. Supporters of DK Shivakumar have repeatedly claimed that the central leadership had promised a rotational Chief Minister arrangement when the government was formed.

Shivakumar, considered one of the Congress party’s strongest leaders in Karnataka, had accepted the Deputy Chief Minister position after reportedly being assured that he would get the Chief Minister’s post after two and a half years.

At the same time, the Congress leadership was cautious about replacing Siddaramaiah because of his strong support among the AHINDA voter base, which includes minorities, backward classes, and Dalits. This support played a major role in the party’s victory in the 2023 Karnataka Assembly elections.

The party had earlier avoided making any changes due to concerns about political impact during the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. Now that those elections are over, sources say the Congress leadership has decided to move ahead with the transition.

Despite this, uncertainty remains within the state unit. Some leaders close to Siddaramaiah are reportedly unhappy with the decision and have advised him to carefully consider his next step before stepping down.

Siddaramaiah, who is currently in Delhi, is expected to return to Bengaluru later tonight.