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Further complicating the Karnataka Congress’s delicate balance is the re-emergence of state home minister Dr G Parameshwara into the leadership conversation
The Congress top brass is likely to summon chief minister Siddaramaiah and deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar to New Delhi soon. File pic/PTI
The internal power tussle in the Karnataka Congress has reached a fever pitch, compelling the party’s central leadership—the “high command”—to prepare an intervention.
Amid intense speculation and lobbying by rival camps, the top brass is likely to summon chief minister Siddaramaiah and deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar to New Delhi soon, potentially before the start of the Parliament’s winter session on December 1, to finally resolve the simmering leadership crisis.
The Halfway Mark and the ‘Power-Sharing’ Pact
The current crisis was reignited after the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government completed the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20. This milestone brought into focus the persistent rumours of an unwritten “power-sharing” agreement allegedly finalised in May 2023, following the Congress’s emphatic Assembly election victory. This purported pact suggested a rotational chief ministership, with Siddaramaiah serving for the first two and a half years and Shivakumar, the state party chief (KPCC president), taking over for the latter half.
While both leaders have publicly denied the existence of a formal agreement, Shivakumar loyalists have intensified pressure on the high command, urging them to honour the commitment. Groups of MLAs close to the deputy CM have been camping in Delhi, actively lobbying Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, and Rahul Gandhi to initiate the change of guard. Shivakumar himself has been guarded in his comments, stating there was a “secret deal between five and six of us” and that he believes in his conscience, carefully avoiding any public repudiation of the pact.
“No one has called me to Delhi,” Shivakumar said on Thursday. “Today I’m going to Mumbai for some private event, I’ll be back by tonight. Tomorrow, there will be the Indira Gandhi Anganwadi programme. I will be in Bengaluru.”
On the other side, chief minister Siddaramaiah has repeatedly asserted that he intends to serve the full five-year term until 2028. The CM, a powerful OBC (Ahinda) leader with strong mass support, has sought clarity from the high command, urging them to put a “full stop” to the confusion that is allegedly hindering the government’s focus on its popular five “guarantee” schemes. His loyalists, including ministers like Zameer Ahmed Khan, have firmly rejected any notion of a rotational CM arrangement.
Parameshwara and the Entry of a Third Contender
Further complicating the delicate balance is the re-emergence of state home minister Dr G Parameshwara into the leadership conversation. A prominent Dalit leader, Parameshwara recently stated, “I will always be in the race for CM,” subtly staking his claim and highlighting the long-standing demand among Dalit Congress leaders for a chief minister from their community.
His remarks, supported by other senior leaders like Satish Jarkiholi, are seen as a strategic move to position himself as a compromise candidate should the high command fail to break the deadlock between the two main power centres, Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar.
The High Command’s Dilemma
The leadership crisis presents a significant challenge for the Congress high command. Mallikarjun Kharge, an influential leader from Karnataka himself, has acknowledged the tussle, stating that the decision will be taken collectively by him, Sonia Gandhi, and Rahul Gandhi.
The high command is currently grappling with two competing realities:
Siddaramaiah’s Mass Appeal: Retaining the veteran leader provides stability, mass appeal, and the ability to continue administering the flagship guarantee schemes.
Shivakumar’s Organisational Clout: Elevating the KPCC president would reward his crucial role in building the party post-2018 and his significant organisational and financial control.
BJP Takes Potshots
The BJP, now in the opposition, has seized on the internal fighting, claiming that the administrative machinery has stalled and threatening to move a no-confidence motion during the upcoming Belagavi legislative session, citing the leadership conflict as a sign of governmental instability.
The summoning of both the CM and the deputy CM to Delhi is now seen as the party’s last resort to settle the matter amicably, avert further political damage, and ensure the government focuses on governance rather than infighting.
Pathikrit Sen Gupta is a Senior Associate Editor with News18.com and likes to cut a long story short. He writes sporadically on Politics, Sports, Global Affairs, Space, Entertainment, And Food. He trawls X via …Read More
Pathikrit Sen Gupta is a Senior Associate Editor with News18.com and likes to cut a long story short. He writes sporadically on Politics, Sports, Global Affairs, Space, Entertainment, And Food. He trawls X via … Read More
November 27, 2025, 17:10 IST
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