NEW DELHI: Amid ongoing speculation about a possible change of chief minister in Karnataka, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday said the matter rests entirely with the party high command, adding that he currently has “nothing to say.” His remarks came a day after he held a meeting lasting over an hour with chief minister Siddaramaiah.
“I have nothing to say about whatever developments have taken place. So you standing here is a waste of your time, and I too feel bad. Whatever has to be done, the high command will decide. You don’t need to worry about it,” Kharge told reporters outside his residence.
Talk of a leadership change has intensified since the Congress government crossed the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20, reviving questions over whether the party will revisit any power-sharing arrangement between Siddaramaiah and deputy chief minister D.K. Shivakumar.
After meeting Kharge on Saturday—his second meeting with him in under a week—Siddaramaiah reiterated that he would abide by the party’s decision regarding his tenure. He dismissed the discussion around a possible change as “media speculation.”
The meeting came on the heels of visits by several MLAs reportedly aligned with Shivakumar, who travelled to Delhi to meet Kharge as the government completed 2.5 years in office. Shivakumar has denied awareness of these meetings.
On Sunday, ministers H.C. Mahadevappa and K. Venkatesh, both considered close to Siddaramaiah, also met Kharge.
According to party insiders, the immediate sticking point is Siddaramaiah’s push for a cabinet reshuffle. Shivakumar’s supporters, however, want clarity on any leadership transition before such a reshuffle takes place. They argue that approving a reshuffle would signal that Siddaramaiah is likely to serve out the full term, limiting Shivakumar’s prospects of taking over.
Following the Congress victory in the May 2023 Assembly elections, Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar were locked in a close contest for the top post before the party chose Siddaramaiah as chief minister and made Shivakumar his deputy. At the time, there were reports of a possible rotational chief ministership after 2.5 years, though the party never officially confirmed this.
