In a turn of events that has left party high command red faced, senior Congress leaders have openly sparred over the Chief Minister’s post in Karnataka, defying warnings from the party’s central leaders. The power struggle within the party appears far from resolved, as Randeep Surjewala and KC Venugopal arrived in Bangalore just days ago to address the internal turmoil.
Despite a stern warning from the high command that no open statements should be made about the chief minister’s position, the issue continues to be a topic of heated debate within the Congress. After the high command issued their warning on Wednesday, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah spoke openly about his intention to maintain his current role, saying, “At present, I am the CM.”The high command’s message seems to have fallen on deaf ears, as the clash escalated further when Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, scheduled to attend the Karnataka Sambhram-50 programme in Gadag, was greeted by enthusiastic supporters in Hubli. They showered him with flowers and chanted, “Jai to the next CM, DK Shivakumar.” This open display of support for Shivakumar defied the high command’s directive.
Moreover, in a surprising turn of events, when both Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar attended the programme in Gadag, they remained silent for about fifteen minutes. Siddaramaiah, during his speech, mentioned the names of various ministers, MLAs, and dignitaries present on the stage but conspicuously omitted DK Shivakumar’s name. A member of the audience pointed out this omission, and Siddaramaiah acknowledged it, admitting that he had forgotten Shivakumar’s name.
Minister Priyank Kharge also entered the fray, expressing his readiness to become the Chief Minister if instructed by the high command. This statement contradicted Siddaramaiah’s declaration that he intended to continue as Chief Minister for the next five years, which he characterised as a personal statement.
Meanwhile, Minister KN Rajanna, speaking in Tumkur, suggested that Home Minister G. Parameshwar should become the Chief Minister if Siddaramaiah
were to be excluded. Parameshwar was present on the stage, and Rajanna openly supported his candidacy for the position.
The ongoing factional politics within the Congress has cast doubt on the party’s ability to maintain unity and discipline. Supporters of DK Shivakumar insist he should assume the Chief Minister’s role in two years, while Siddaramaiah’s backers advocate for his continued leadership for five years.
The high command had previously threatened action against any member making open statements about the Chief Minister’s post. Still, recent developments have shown that some prominent leaders are willing to challenge the high command’s authority. The situation has brought the state Congress to a point where careful calculations are necessary to address these internal divisions and ensure the party’s stability.