Bengaluru/New Delhi, November 28: The Congress leadership dispute in Karnataka is set to be taken up in Delhi after party president Mallikarjun Kharge said on Wednesday that he, along with Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, would resolve the issue amid growing factional tensions in the state unit.
Kharge has briefed Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on the simmering tussle between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D.K. Shivakumar, and the two leaders are expected to meet again on Thursday. Party insiders said both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar could be summoned to Delhi before the Winter Session of Parliament.
“The high command — myself, Rahul ji and Sonia ji — will together take a decision on the issue and resolve it,” Kharge told reporters in New Delhi.
Both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar have said they will abide by the high command’s final decision, placing Rahul Gandhi at the centre of the reconciliation effort.
Shivakumar, who is also the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president, appeared to be reaching out to leaders aligned with Siddaramaiah in a bid to ease tensions. After meeting Housing Minister B.Z. Zameer Ahmed, he held a late-night meeting with Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi — a development that drew attention given their prolonged rivalry over political influence in Belagavi.
While both leaders said the talks focused on strengthening the Congress ahead of the 2028 elections, party sources said Shivakumar sought Jarkiholi’s cooperation at a time when the latter is lobbying for the KPCC chief’s post.
“Whatever was discussed was within the four walls. It cannot be discussed publicly. The high command will decide on the Chief Minister’s post,” Shivakumar said when asked about the meetings.
Shivakumar dismissed reports that legislators in Delhi were lobbying for him, saying they might be seeking ministerial positions amid talk of an impending Cabinet reshuffle. “Nobody needs to talk for me… I believe in collective leadership,” he said.
Jarkiholi, who met around a dozen legislators over lunch on Wednesday, said he continued to identify with Siddaramaiah but was not opposed to Shivakumar. He added that he saw no circumstances that warranted a leadership change, calling Siddaramaiah’s role “imperative even after he retires from politics”.
Several legislators have urged central leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, to settle the issue swiftly, warning that the prolonged uncertainty is hurting the party’s image. “We do not want this limbo to continue,” one leader said.
The Congress returned to power in Karnataka in 2023, but the perceived power-sharing agreement between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar has remained a source of speculation and tension within the party.
