After a lull, Siddaramaiah, Shivakumar camps again rock Karnataka Congress boat

There has never been any official confirmation of this, though claims about the same keep popping up from the Shivakumar camp.

Now, while Siddaramaiah’s supporters are trying to rally his camp to ensure that he completes his full term, Shivakumar’s are keeping the waters roiling. Sources said that recently Siddaramaiah took on Shivakumar directly, ruling out a change in the leadership. The Siddaramaiah camp has also mounted pressure seeking that Shivakumar step down as PCC chief as he is also a minister.

A fallout was seen at the Congress Legislature Party meeting held earlier this week, where Shivakumar and Public Works Department Minister Satish Jarkiholi, a close Siddaramaiah aide, clashed over the construction of a district Congress Committee office.

A senior Siddaramaiah minister, who is also a supporter of the CM, told The Indian Express recently that “even if there is a power-sharing formula”, it will only kick into force once Siddaramaiah’s tenure has hit the half-way mark. “That would be at the end of December 2025. Prior to that, any talk of a change in leadership is pointless.”

Sources said that the high command might not be inclined to rock the boat as Siddaramaiah enjoys the support of a majority of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP), along with several powerful ministers, and minority, Dalit and OBC leaders. “Assuming that it is left to the CLP to decide a new leader, the chances of Shivakumar are slim,” a source said.

Shivakumar’s supporters include a section of the dominant Vokkaliga and Lingayat MLAs, and a handful of ministers and MLAs from North Karnataka regions. During the second half of 2024, there were reports of the Deputy CM trying to shore up his backing among MLAs.

What has weakened Shivakumar’s bargaining power is the less-than-satisfactory performance of the Congress in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. While at nine of the 28 seats, this was eight more than in 2019, the Congress failed to make any impression in the Vokkaliga-dominated South Karnataka region or Shivakumar’s turf.

Now the Siddaramaiah camp is also pointing to a resolution by the Congress high command to appoint a new PCC chief for Karnataka within six months of the Lok Sabha polls. Jarkiholi mentioned this Wednesday, seeking the appointment of a “full-fledged” president and arguing that ministers could not dedicate themselves to party work. A popular leader who can draw votes should head the state unit, Jarkiholi said.

On Thursday, Home Minister G Parameshwara joined the call for a change in the PCC leadership, saying this was a legitimate demand given that Shivakumar holds two big portfolios, Bengaluru Development and Water Resources, as minister. “When I was the state president, I faced the same situation. I gave priority to the party,” he said, adding that state Congress leaders were waiting for a decision by the high command on the same.

Shivakumar shot back saying that calling for a change in guard was akin to questioning the decisions of the party high command. “Mallikarjun Kharge is the AICC president, his decisions are being questioned,” the Deputy CM said.

Two dinner meetings organised by the Siddaramaiah camp, one of which was called off at the last minute – reportedly on the high command’s intervention – have further muddied the waters. The first, held by Jarkiholi to “celebrate the new year”, was attended by Siddaramaiah and several prominent ministers at a time when Shivakumar was not in town. The second was to be held by Parameshwara to reportedly rally SC/ST leaders (Siddaramaiah belongs to the backward Kuruba group).

Another minister from the Siddaramaiah camp, Cooperation Minister K N Rajanna, recently said: “I am not saying he (Shivakumar) should not fight for a two-and-a-half year term. My suggestion to him is to aim to be CM for a full five years.”