Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is likely to meet Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot today amid mounting speculation over his possible resignation to make way for his deputy, D. K. Shivakumar.
The veteran Congress leader is also expected to host his cabinet colleagues, including Shivakumar, for breakfast ahead of his visit to Raj Bhavan.
Political circles are abuzz with reports that Siddaramaiah may step down as chief minister, possibly as early as Thursday, paving the way for Shivakumar to assume the top post.
The speculations follow hectic parleys in New Delhi earlier this week, during which both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar separately met the Congress high command. Party leadership is believed to have agreed to a leadership transition in an attempt to resolve the long-running power struggle within the Karnataka unit.
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In a bid to ensure a smooth transition, Congress leaders K. C. Venugopal and Randeep Singh Surjewala have arrived in Bengaluru.
According to reports, Siddaramaiah agreed to consider stepping down after receiving a direct message from senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. The chief minister had previously stated that he would vacate the post if asked to do so by Gandhi.
Meanwhile, several ministers and MLAs met Siddaramaiah at his residence on Wednesday evening and reportedly urged him not to resign. They are also expected to take up the matter with the party leadership.
Media reports suggest the Congress high command has attempted to placate Siddaramaiah by offering him a Rajya Sabha berth. However, sources told NDTV that the chief minister is not keen on moving to the Upper House.
Instead, Siddaramaiah’s camp is likely to press for several demands, including multiple Deputy Chief Minister posts and a say in the appointment of the next Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee chief.
The proposal for more than one deputy chief minister has reportedly complicated the leadership transition, with concerns that it could create multiple power centres within the state unit.
The leadership tussle is rooted in a reported power-sharing understanding reached in 2023 between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar. According to reports, when the Congress chose Siddaramaiah as chief minister following its Assembly election victory, it was informally agreed that Shivakumar would take over midway through the government’s tenure.
However, the Congress has never officially acknowledged any such arrangement. The Siddaramaiah-led government crossed the halfway mark of its term in November last year, and Shivakumar’s supporters have reportedly intensified pressure on the high command after the government completed three years in office on May 20.
