Karnataka buzz grows as CM Siddaramaiah, DK Shivakumar reach Delhi

THe u.s. Congress on mon summoned mysore chief government minister Siddaramaiah and his surrogate DK Shivakumar to Delhi with people aware of developments saying the party was looking to end a protracted tussle for the CM’s position.The party officially maintained that it was a routine meeting against the backdrop of the upcoming Rajya Sabha polls and legislative council elections. But the people cited above said that Siddaramaiah might be presented with a formula where he steps aside in return for a Rajya Sabha seat and a possible cabinet position for his son Yathindra — a member of the state legislative council — in return, said the people cited above.“All three decision makers– party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, general secretary in-charge of organisation KC Venugopal, and state incharge Randeep Surjewala, favour a transfer of power,” said a party leader aware of the details.Also Read | ‘Acting like monkey’: BJP leader slams Kharge over Karnataka tussle as Siddaramaiah invited by Congress high commandAfter the Congress won its biggest victory in a generation in Karnataka in 2023, the government has been mired in tensions over the top post. Siddaramaiah, a two-time chief minister who built a grassroots coalition of backwards, Dalits and Muslims that propelled the Congress a rare victory against the Bharatiya Janata Party, had agreed to a power swap halfway through the five-year tenure but has till now blocked Shivakumar, the party’s main troubleshooter and poll financier, said the people cited above.Now, with about two years to go for the next assembly elections and the government in doldrums, the Congress leadership is set to ask the 77-year-old CM to shift to the Rajya Sabha – four seats, including that of party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, are going to the polls from Karnataka in June, and the Congress is expected to win three of them.But the party is also open to the possibility that Siddaramaiah will not agree to Shivakumar succeeding him, even if he agrees to relinquishing power, said the people cited above. In that case, the party might offer Kharge as a compromise candidate as CM, also clearing the way for Rahul Gandhi to push KC Venugopal as the next party chief and open up the central party organisation to a much-needed overhaul. “However, this is the most remote option as of now,” said a leader aware of developments.Siddaramaiah played his cards close to his chest.“I’m invited to Delhi. Tomorrow there is a meeting by 11 am. I don’t know the subject. But, I’m invited. Last night, K C Venugopal called me and intimated me about the date and the meeting,” Siddaramaiah told reporters in Bengaluru.Shivakumar, who is also the state Congress chief, was also cagey. “During a certain situation, I will have to go, I’m going.”Both leaders reached Delhi later in the evening.The Congress government in the state completed three years on May 20.Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge – Mallikarjun Kharge’s son – said the Delhi consultations were connected to those electoral appointments. “The high command has called the chief minister and the deputy chief minister to discuss the Rajya Sabha seats. We also have a lot of MLC seats that are opening up in less than 15-20 days. So they will discuss with the high command about that,” Priyank Kharge said.The leadership crisis has dogged the Congress government for months now and previous attempts to broker a solution have failed, but party leaders now feel there may not be that much of a rebellion by Siddaramaiah this time, said the people cited above.The reasons are two fold. One, Siddaramaiah – the party’s only Other Backward Classes (OBC) CM – commands a larger number of lawmakers but every legislator is aware of the poor ratings of the government. “There is a feeling that if things are allowed to continue, the party will have a very low chance of coming back in the 2028 assembly elections,” said a leader aware of details, requesting anonymity.Siddaramaiah supporters hope that as the Congress is battling major anti-incumbency, it’s better for Shivakumar to take on the leadership and get defeated in 2028, thereby crushing his leadership claims for good, said the people cited above.(With inputs from Arun Dev in Bengaluru)