The political storm within the Congress government in Karnataka shows no signs of abating, with the party's national president, Mallikarjun Kharge, stepping in to address the escalating leadership debate. On Wednesday, Kharge confirmed that a final decision would be made following top-level consultations with senior leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.
High Command to Take the Final Call
Kharge explicitly placed the responsibility for resolving the issue on the party high command. When questioned about the potential leadership change in the state, he told PTI, "The high command – myself, Rahul ji and Sonia ji will together take a decision on the issue and resolve it." This statement comes at a critical juncture, as the Congress government recently completed the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20, intensifying speculation about an alleged power-sharing agreement made in 2023.
Chief Minister and Deputy CM Await Clarity
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has publicly urged the party leadership to put an end to the ongoing confusion. On Tuesday, he responded to questions about legislators supporting Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar travelling to Delhi, stating, "Let them go. MLAs have freedom. Let’s see what opinion they give. Ultimately, the high command has to make the decision. We will abide by what the high command says."
He further emphasized that to place a "full stop to this confusion," the high command must intervene. Meanwhile, Shivakumar, who also holds the post of state Congress president, has added to the intrigue by referring to a "secret deal between 5-6 of us" within the party concerning power-sharing.
Shivakumar's Cryptic Remarks on a "Secret Deal"
Speaking from his home constituency of Kanakapura, Shivakumar chose to be reticent on the public stage. "I don't know. I have not asked to make me the CM. It is a secret deal between five and six of us. I don't want to speak publicly on this," he remarked. He stressed his commitment to the party, adding, "I believe in my conscience... I don't want to cause embarrassment to the party in any way and weaken it. If the party is there, we are there."
In a display of public camaraderie, Shivakumar praised Siddaramaiah as a "senior leader" and an "asset for the party," noting his experience of having served as chief minister for 7.5 years, including his previous term from 2013 to 2018. When asked about Siddaramaiah's announcement that he would present the next state budget, the deputy CM expressed happiness and called for unity, focusing on the targets for the 2028 assembly polls and the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.
The political future of Karnataka's Congress government now hinges on the crucial deliberations expected to take place in Delhi, as the party's top leadership works to forge a path forward and maintain stability.
