Karnataka’s political circles were once again stirred on Monday as Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy DK Shivakumar appeared together before the media— the second joint appearance in just four days—attempting to project unity even as speculation over a possible leadership change continues to intensify.

Seated beside Shivakumar, Siddaramaiah reiterated that both leaders were prepared to travel to New Delhi “whenever the Congress high command calls us.”

His comments came amid renewed chatter that the party may revisit the alleged “rotational chief minister” formula, under which Shivakumar was expected to take over midway through Siddaramaiah’s term.

When asked pointedly when Shivakumar might assume the chief minister’s post, Siddaramaiah responded with a carefully crafted line: “When the high command says.”

The remark, brief yet loaded with political implications, has once again sparked curiosity about whether the Congress top leadership is weighing a transition in Karnataka.

The media interaction followed a breakfast meeting between the two leaders earlier in the day— their second such gathering in 48 hours.

The gesture is widely seen as an attempt to quell narratives of a widening rift, particularly after Shivakumar recently suggested he might step down as Karnataka Congress chief and some of his close supporters gathered in Delhi, prompting renewed speculation of a factional power push.

Siddaramaiah also confirmed that a meeting of party MPs has been scheduled for December 8, though he declined to clarify whether leadership matters would be on the agenda. “We will discuss farmers’ issues and other issues of the state,” he said, maintaining that the Congress high command—particularly Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge—will have the final say on any decision related to governance and leadership.

Insisting that the Congress in Karnataka remains cohesive, Siddaramaiah added, “All our MLAs are united. We are brothers and are working together. We will face the Opposition together.”

Rumours around a leadership shift grew stronger last month when Siddaramaiah completed two and a half years in office, marking the midpoint of his five-year term. Since the Congress took power in 2023, stories of a possible rotational CM deal have periodically resurfaced despite repeated denials from both camps.

For now, both leaders are leaning heavily on symbolic unity—breakfast meetings, joint press conferences, and matching statements.

Yet the question that continues to hang over Karnataka’s ruling party is whether these displays are a genuine reset or merely a temporary calm ahead of a leadership decision that only the Congress high command can make.

As Siddaramaiah put it himself, the future of the state’s top post lies not in Bengaluru, but in Delhi’s court.