Siddaramaiah vs Shivakumar: All eyes on Delhi as Congress high command faces Karnataka leadership storm

Karnataka’s leadership dispute entered a sharper phase on Friday, with fresh statements, community pressure and political manoeuvring offering new clues on the possible fate of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar. As Delhi prepares to intervene, both leaders continue to insist publicly that the final call rests with the Congress high command.

Minister Priyank Kharge said on Friday that the Congress high command “has the sense of timing” to resolve the intensifying power battle between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar. He confirmed that both leaders have agreed to travel to Delhi whenever summoned, though no official invitation has yet been issued.

Kharge, son of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, urged people not to speculate, saying the party will intervene “whenever necessary”. The government crossed its halfway mark on November 20, reigniting claims of an alleged 2023 “power-sharing” agreement between the CM and his deputy.

Former Chief Minister Velu Narayanasamy also said that the choice of Karnataka’s Chief Minister is an internal matter for the party leadership and that they will take a decision “at the appropriate time”.

Ahead of the December “Chief Minister swap” deadline circulating in political circles, a Vokkaliga group formally wrote to Mallikarjun Kharge demanding that D K Shivakumar be made Chief Minister.

Spiritual leader Dr Nanjavadhutha Mahaswamiji echoed this demand, praising Shivakumar’s loyalty and work for the party and saying it was time for the Vokkaliga community to get an opportunity. He said Siddaramaiah had brought the party to power with broad community support, but argued that the post should now go to someone “acceptable to all communities”.

What are rival parties saying?

BJP MP Jagadish Shettar weighed in, saying Siddaramaiah wants to complete his five-year term, while Shivakumar is “indirectly signalling” that an agreement existed between them. He said the matter must be clarified either by the high command or by both leaders together.

The BJP has also announced plans to move a no-confidence motion against the Congress government, seeking to push the leadership feud into sharper public focus.

What did DK Shivakumar say?

Shivakumar said he would “definitely go to Delhi”, calling the capital “our temple” and emphasising the Congress tradition of central guidance. He said he belongs to “all sections of society” and that the party will decide his role, adding, “I don’t want anything.”

News18 reported that the Deputy CM held back-to-back meetings amid the heightening dispute.

In Mumbai, Shivakumar dismissed speculation about any discussions on the CM post and denied meeting Mallikarjun Kharge or Rahul Gandhi. He insisted he had come only for a family function and that any political meeting would happen in Bengaluru or Delhi. He added that he was “not in a hurry for anything”.

Meanwhile, Yathindra Siddaramaiah backed his father and said he was unaware of any power-sharing deal. He argued there was “no need to change the CM” and said the high command would take the final decision.

He added that MLAs travelling to Delhi to lobby was not new in any party, and reiterated his belief that Siddaramaiah should remain CM for the full five-year term.

What lies ahead?

Sources told NDTV that Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge will meet Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar before December 8.

Alongside this, pressure continues to build. Vokkaliga and OBC associations have threatened mass protests. The BJP is preparing its no-confidence move.

The next steps from Delhi are now expected to decide the immediate political future of both Siddaramaiah and D K Shivakumar.