Kharge Says He’ll Call Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar for Talks If Needed Amid Karnataka Leadership Row
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has promised to resolve the ongoing confusion over Karnataka's chief ministerial position, as both CM Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar head to Delhi for a key party meeting.
Bengaluru: The spotlight is now on Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s visit to Delhi for the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting, amid growing speculation about a possible leadership change in the state.
The meeting has gained importance as Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar’s supporters have been pushing for him to take over as the next Chief Minister. Before leaving for Delhi, Siddaramaiah told reporters in Davangere, “I am going for the CWC meeting today, but I don’t visit Delhi very often.”
The Chief Minister had earlier stated in the Karnataka Assembly that the party’s high command supports him and he plans to complete his full five-year term.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge addressed the leadership confusion before departing for the CWC meeting in New Delhi. When reporters asked him about the uncertainty in Karnataka, he said, “It will be sorted out. You don’t need to worry about it.”
Kharge made it clear that he would discuss the matter in Delhi, not in Bengaluru. He assured that he would call both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar for talks if necessary to resolve the issue.
Meanwhile, DK Shivakumar, who is currently in Delhi, has dismissed all talk of a leadership change. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, he said the speculation exists only in the media, not within the party or government.
“The speculation is only in the media. There is no such discussion within the party or the government,” Shivakumar said.
When asked if he was meeting party leaders during his Delhi visit, he replied, “Kharge is in Delhi. I think Rahul Gandhi came yesterday, and I don’t want to disturb him.”
The Deputy CM also emphasized his commitment to the party over any position. “I would love to be a party worker rather than hold any position in the party. That is permanent for me,” he said, adding that he has been working for Congress since 1980, completing 45 years of service.
Despite Shivakumar’s statements, Congress MLA HA Iqbal Hussain from Ramanagara, a known Shivakumar loyalist, has predicted that a leadership change could happen on January 6 or 9.
However, sources in the Chief Minister’s Office have downplayed these claims. They told PTI that the leadership issue may not even be discussed at the CWC meeting in New Delhi.
“The information we have is that this meeting is only about drawing strategies for the upcoming Assembly elections in the country,” a source said.
Apart from Siddaramaiah, Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu will also attend the meeting.
What Happens Next?
All eyes are now on the Congress Working Committee meeting in Delhi. While party leaders maintain that there is no confusion, the ongoing speculation has created uncertainty about Karnataka’s political future.
Congress president Kharge’s assurance that he will resolve the matter has offered some hope, but it remains to be seen whether any decision will be made during this visit or if the status quo will continue.
