The simmering power struggle within Karnataka's Congress government has taken a new turn, with party national president Mallikarjun Kharge attempting to deflect the issue away from the central leadership. In a significant remark on Sunday, Kharge stated that any confusion regarding the leadership in Karnataka exists at the local level, urging state leaders to take ownership of resolving their internal disputes.
Kharge's Delicate Balancing Act
This statement is particularly intriguing given the Congress party's long-established culture of a strong central high command that typically intervenes in state-level squabbles. Kharge's comments are open to multiple interpretations. On one hand, by stating there is no confusion at the central level, he could be seen as endorsing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's position to continue for a full five-year term. After all, Siddaramaiah currently holds the post, and implicit central support would solidify his claim.
Conversely, Kharge's framing of the tussle as a local issue might also be a nod to the demands from Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar's camp. Supporters of Shivakumar, who is also the state Congress president, have persistently raised the issue of a purported rotational chief ministership deal, demanding he take over the top post after two-and-a-half years. By calling it a local matter, Kharge may be referencing these claims made by Shivakumar's loyalists among MLAs and local leaders.
Credit War and Electoral Victory
In his remarks, Kharge also issued a caution against individual leaders claiming credit for the party's spectacular victory in the 2023 Karnataka assembly elections. "Everyone has built the party. It's not any individual's effort," Kharge asserted, without naming anyone. This veiled warning appears directed at Shivakumar's supporters, who have publicly credited his leadership as state party chief for the historic win.
The Congress secured a comprehensive majority in the 2023 polls, winning 135 out of 224 assembly seats with a vote share of 43.2%. The BJP was decisively reduced to 66 seats. However, this remarkable victory has been overshadowed by the leadership feud from the very beginning, requiring intense persuasion from the central leadership to convince Shivakumar to let Siddaramaiah form the government initially.
Contradictory Signals from State Leaders
Reactions from Karnataka leaders to Kharge's statement have been mixed, revealing the deep divisions. State Home Minister G Parameshwara echoed Kharge's sentiment on Monday, saying differences must be resolved locally by state leaders sitting together.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, however, reiterated a different stance. He asserted that the decision on any leadership change rests with top leader Rahul Gandhi and the high command, and he would abide by their verdict. "I have spoken to the high command. They have said that they will decide. I will abide by whatever the high command decides," Siddaramaiah told reporters. He had previously claimed in the assembly that the high command was "in my favour" and denied any decision limiting his tenure to two-and-a-half years.
Shivakumar, reacting to Siddaramaiah's assembly statements, said both leaders had reached an agreement with the high command's involvement and would honor it. He has often alluded to a power-sharing pact, once posting cryptically on social media: "Word power is world power... Keeping one’s word is the greatest strength in the world." Siddaramaiah retorted sharply with a wordplay of his own: "A Word is not power unless it betters the World for the people," highlighting his government's welfare schemes.
A Lingering Embarrassment and Unclear Path Forward
This protracted power struggle has become a major embarrassment for the Congress leadership, raising questions about its ability to manage internal democracy and resolve disputes between powerful state satraps. With the Congress government crossing the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20, speculation about a leadership change has only intensified. MLAs from both factions have petitioned the high command, seeking support for their respective leaders.
Kharge's latest remarks have done little to bring clarity or quell the infighting. Instead, they have shifted the onus onto the feuding Karnataka leaders while leaving the central leadership's position ambiguous. All eyes are now on how DK Shivakumar responds, especially to the indirect rebuke about claiming credit for the 2023 electoral triumph. The resolution of this tussle will test the Congress party's cohesion and its strategy for the southern state as it approaches the latter half of its term.
