K'taka Congress
DK Shivakumar camp storms Delhi: loyalists demand Siddaramaiah’s ouster in explosive power push
In an intensification of a power tussle within the Congress, loyalists of DK Shivakumar have travelled to Delhi to urge the top brass to appoint the Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister to the top post as incumbent Siddaramaiah completes 2.5 years, media reports said.
At least 10 MLAs including a state minister travelled to the national capital to request a replacement "to honour the promise".
Congress' Ramanagara MLA Iqbal Hussain said it was promised by Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge that the CM post would be shared by Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar equally.
Hussain, who has publicly back Shivakumar for the top post, told NDTV, "DK Shivakumar has struggled and put effort to bring the party to the power in Karnataka.
"He deserves to be the Chief Minister… he has potential and so we requested the high command, and Siddaramaiah, to give DK Shivakumar a chance to become the new Chief Minister."
Hussain told Kharge that he sought a week's time. "… he wanted to talk to all the high command (about) these things. So, they need some time. We are hopeful we will get justice."
As per a report by India Today, the MLAs are planning to meet Kharge and Congress general secretary KC Venugopal to press their demands.
However, Kharge will be in Bengaluru on Friday and will stay in the state capital overnight.
While Kharge will attend a scheduled programme, Siddaramaiah has cancelled two events and rushed back to Bengaluru after the new developments.
After Congress' strong electoral win in Karnataka in 2023, there was speculation about a "rotational CM" formula: Siddaramaiah would be CM first, and Shivakumar would take over later.
However, leaders like Siddaramaiah have denied any formal power-sharing deal.
Shivakumar, who is also the Karnataka Congress president, has significant ambitions — and a strong power base.
Why it matters politically
Power Balance: If Shivakumar were to become CM in future, it would shift power within Karnataka Congress significantly.
Congress Unity: Persistent factionalism could hurt the party’s ability to govern effectively.
Electoral Risks: Rivalry at the top can be exploited by the opposition (e.g., BJP) as a sign of disunity.
Institutional Impact: Bureaucratic decisions (transfers, appointments) may increasingly be driven by political rivalry rather than governance needs.
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