The internal dispute and leadership crisis within the Karnataka Congress has once again spilled into the open after party MLC Yathindra Siddaramaiah claimed that his father, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, would remain in office for the full five-year term.
Yathindra’s statement last week immediately drew a sarcastic jibe from Deputy Chief Minister and Siddaramaiah’s bête noire, D.K. Shivakumar, who mockingly referred to the MLC as the new “high command.”
The controversy has refused to die down, with more leaders weighing in. On Monday, Congress MLA Iqbal Hussain slammed Yathindra’s remarks and asked him to “act with discipline.” Hussain claimed that 80–90 Congress MLAs had appealed to the party high command to give Shivakumar a chance to become Chief Minister.
“We are a disciplined party, and we have to behave decently. We don’t like him (Yathindra Siddaramaiah) speaking in favour of his father again and again and embarrassing the high command. Every father loves his son, and every son loves his father, but in politics, we have to act with discipline. Provoking others with such statements shouldn’t happen,” Hussain said, as quoted by ANI.
Hussain claimed that many legislators, including himself, wished to see Shivakumar as Chief Minister, but cautioned against creating confusion through public statements. “I’m clearly saying with an open heart, as I have said from the first day, that D.K. Shivakumar must be given a chance in this tenure itself. This is my wish,” he added.
Congress MLC Channaraj Hattiholi echoed Hussain’s sentiments, saying, “I wish D.K. Shivakumar should be the Chief Minister soon in this tenure.”
The power struggle within the Congress, which had remained subdued for some time after a dramatic escalation in November last year, resurfaced after Yathindra claimed that the party high command had made it clear there would be no change in leadership.
His remarks triggered a sharp response from Shivakumar, who sarcastically remarked, “Yathindra is our high command, and let’s accept what he says with utmost respect.”
Later, speaking to reporters in Mangaluru, Shivakumar emphasised that “only time will tell” when he would be elevated to the top post.
At the heart of the tussle is a reported agreement between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar in 2023. According to reports, when the Congress high command chose Siddaramaiah as Chief Minister, it was understood that Shivakumar would take over after the government reached its halfway mark. However, the party leadership has never publicly acknowledged any such arrangement.
The rivalry has deeply divided the Karnataka Congress, with both leaders taking subtle jabs at each other on social media, prompting intervention from the high command. In December, signalling a temporary truce, the two leaders met for breakfast twice and presented a united front, as instructed by the party leadership.