The Congress leadership crisis in Karnataka has intensified just days before the Parliament session begins on December 1, with uncertainty continuing over whether a change will be made in the chief minister’s post. Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, who has been trying for over a week to speak to Rahul Gandhi regarding the leadership dilemma, finally received a brief reply from him on WhatsApp: “Please wait, I will call you.”
The response comes at a sensitive moment for the party, with internal pressure mounting from factions loyal to both Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy. Shivakumar is set to travel to Delhi on November 29 and has requested a meeting with Sonia Gandhi, who is expected to return to the capital the same day, according to party sources.
A group of MLAs backing Shivakumar — including ministers — has already reached Delhi to push for a change in leadership. Their argument centres on the alleged informal “2.5-year power-sharing agreement” between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar. With Siddaramaiah completing half his term, they insist that the chief minister’s post should now rotate.
Siddaramaiah’s camp, meanwhile, has rejected the existence of any formal rotational deal, emphasising that he intends to complete a full five-year term. His supporters maintain that no such pact was ever approved by the party high command.
Despite rising tensions, the Congress leadership in Delhi has publicly remained silent, signalling neither confirmation nor denial. With the December 1 deadline looming and both factions digging in, all eyes are on the high command’s next move — one that could determine the stability of the Karnataka government and the party’s internal balance of power.
