Shivakumar dismisses talk of K'taka leadership change

Soon after the Congress suffered a setback in the Bihar Assembly elections, the party’s internal rumblings spilled into Karnataka, where speculation over a mid-term leadership change has resurfaced. But Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Monday sought to cool the chatter, insisting that his weekend meeting with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge in Delhi was nothing more than routine organisational work.Shivakumar, who also heads the Karnataka Congress, said Sunday’s discussion revolved around party-related tasks such as office inaugurations and trust matters. He refused to divulge further, remarking that "everyone in the organisation stands where the party stands".

Even so, the quiet meeting has reignited talk of a possible “November revolution”, a reference to the government hitting its halfway mark, when some believe a power-sharing formula between Shivakumar and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah could come into play. For months, political circles have speculated on whether Shivakumar would stake claim to the top job under a purported 2023 understanding.

Party sources said that all eyes are now on whether the high command clears a Cabinet reshuffle. A nod, they argue, would signal that Siddaramaiah is likely to complete his term, effectively dimming the chances of any change in leadership this year.

Siddaramaiah, currently in Delhi, met Kharge on Monday evening as lobbying within the state unit intensifies. A number of legislators have gone public with their demands for berths.

Hungund MLA Vijayanand Kashappanavar, who met the CM ahead of his trip, said he had reminded him of his family’s decades-long service to the Congress while seeking a ministerial role. He has also approached Shivakumar, KC Venugopal, Randeep Singh Surjewala and Kharge with the same request.

Hubballi-Dharwad East MLA Abbayya Prasad has similarly argued that his repeated electoral victories and the expectations of his constituents, including Dalit groups, strengthen his claim to a Cabinet seat. Both MLAs are part of a wider group pressing for a rejig for several months.

Karnataka is allowed a 34-member council of ministers, but two positions remain vacant, one after B Nagendra quit amid a financial scandal at the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki ST Development Corporation, and another after KN Rajanna was dropped on the high command’s direction.