Last Updated:
Since July, every month, a few Congress legislators have raised the pitch, openly stating that Deputy CM DK Shivakumar should be elevated as Chief Minister
The remarks come against the backdrop of a purported power-sharing deal between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, an arrangement the CM has repeatedly denied. (Image: PTI/File)
In just four months, four Congress leaders — including three sitting legislators and a former MP from Mandya — have been issued notices by the party for “causing embarrassment and defying the instructions of the AICC.”
Since July, every month, a few Congress legislators have raised the pitch, openly stating that Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar should be elevated as Chief Minister, or that he will take over before the end of the year.
The latest to face party action are Kunigal MLA H.D. Ranganath and former Mandya MP L.R. Shivarame Gowda, just months after Shivaganga V. Basavaraj, MLA from Channagiri, and Ramanagara MLA Iqbal Hussain also declared their support for Shivakumar to take over the top post.
The remarks come against the backdrop of a purported power-sharing deal between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, an arrangement the Chief Minister has repeatedly denied.
Defending himself, Shivakumar told the media: “No need to discuss the CM post sharing. CM Siddaramaiah and I are working together. We are following the guidelines of the high command.” He added that he had instructed Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) working president G.C. Chandrashekar to act against those speaking on the issue. “We don’t need to react to what the BJP says,” he remarked.
Cracking the whip on indiscipline, a move the party hopes will also serve as a warning to others, Congress issued show-cause notices to all four leaders who spoke on the Chief Minister’s post, despite the high command’s clear instructions not to speculate in public. Yet, the remarks keep coming.
On 1 July, Ramanagara Congress MLA Iqbal Hussain, a close follower of D.K. Shivakumar, had been repeatedly speaking about a leadership change in Karnataka. Hussain said: “D.K. Shivakumar has worked hard for the party and got the party 140 seats. He needs to be given a chance to ensure Congress comes back to power in 2028.”
He also told News18 that he stood by his statements: “We need the change, and in future, Congress should come to power. More development is needed and hence change is needed.”
Hussain is said to have conveyed his views directly to Congress General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala. “High command said do not talk in the media. I said we need to talk,” Hussain claimed, speaking of how the high command had seen Shivakumar’s work and programmes. “He fought against the government during Covid-19 too. I am asking for a change. Siddaramaiah has already been given a chance — five plus two and a half years. I have requested for change and they responded positively and said we will decide on it,” he added in July. Hussain was later served a show-cause notice by the party for these comments.
On 17 August, Basavaraj, a first-time legislator from Channagiri in Davangere district and a follower of Shivakumar, spoke of a “change of guard” in Karnataka. He claimed that before December, there would be a change in power and Shivakumar could become Chief Minister.
Basavaraj was quoted as saying that Shivakumar’s elevation was already decided and that it was only a matter of time before the transition took place. Reacting sharply, Shivakumar immediately distanced himself from such claims and stressed that action would be taken against those making such statements.
In the latest development, Kunigal MLA H.D. Ranganath and former Mandya MP L.R. Shivarame Gowda have been served separate notices. The disciplinary committee of the KPCC, headed by former Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha K. Rahman Khan, has asked them to reply within seven days.
Shivakumar said the matter stood closed after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s assertion that he would complete his full five-year term, adding that both leaders would abide by the decision of the party high command. On Wednesday, speaking on the sidelines of the Dussehra celebrations, Siddaramaiah reiterated that he would serve the full term and follow the party line.
Kunigal MLA Ranganath said he hoped to see his “political guru” D.K. Shivakumar occupy the CM’s chair one day. Describing him as a “rising star” and a “pan-India leader,” Ranganath credited Shivakumar for the Congress’s victory in the 2023 Assembly polls. “He brought very good results for the Congress in the elections… I have not seen any other leader show that kind of commitment to the party. He has always stood firmly with the Congress,” he said.
Former Mandya MP Shivarame Gowda went a step further: “There is no doubt about D.K. Shivakumar becoming the CM. The party knows what to do and when to do it; those who have worked for the party will benefit 100 per cent, there is no doubt about that. As per my information, there will be one decision in November. D.K. told us that the high command assured them of two and a half years for both — Siddaramaiah and D.K. Shivakumar — as CM.”
Calling Gowda’s remarks “unruly,” Congress has served him a notice, terming his comments a “violation of party discipline.” The notice stated: “Your media statements in this regard not only embarrass the party but also violate party discipline. We have taken your unruly statements seriously and seek an explanation. You are required to respond within one week of receiving this notice.”
Rohini Swamy, Associate Editor at News18, has been a journalist for nearly two decades in the television and digital space. She covers south India for News18’s digital platform. She has previously worked with t…Read More
Rohini Swamy, Associate Editor at News18, has been a journalist for nearly two decades in the television and digital space. She covers south India for News18’s digital platform. She has previously worked with t… Read More
Karnataka, India, India
October 03, 2025, 08:38 IST
Read More
