As buzz over Karnataka’s CM post grows, a minister and several DK Shivakumar loyalist MLAs are headed to Delhi to…
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- Power tussle in Karnataka? Shivakumar loyalists head to Delhi amid CM post buzz <img alt=Illustration: Karnataka political developments width=100% src=data:image/svg+xml;utf8,Power tussle in Karnataka?Shivakumar loyalists head to Delhi amid CM post buzzIllustration • CC0 • The Vagabond News/> Bengaluru: A fresh round of whispers around the Karnataka chief ministership has erupted as a minister and a clutch of MLAs aligned with Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar reportedly make their way to New Delhi to confer with the Congress high command. Their trip, party insiders say, is aimed at “seeking clarity” amid growing speculation over leadership continuity and the ever-present power tussle in Karnataka between loyalists of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and supporters of Shivakumar. While there is no official word from the All India Congress Committee (AICC), the timing of the outreach has raised eyebrows. With governance priorities jostling alongside political arithmetic, Karnataka’s Congress government—buoyed by last year’s sweeping Assembly victory yet tested by recent electoral headwinds—appears intent on preempting internal friction from spilling into public view. What’s driving the power tussle in Karnataka – Leadership balance: The Congress came to power in Karnataka in 2023 after a decisive win, settling on a dual-power arrangement—Siddaramaiah as Chief Minister and Shivakumar as Deputy Chief Minister and state party chief. Balancing administrative and organisational clout has required constant calibration. The latest Delhi trip is seen as part of that maintenance. – Electoral recalibration: The Lok Sabha results forced strategic stock-taking across party units. While the Congress managed pockets of resistance, the broader national outcome has spurred debates on messaging, resource allocation, and leadership positioning in key states—including Karnataka. – Cabinet expectations and portfolio dynamics: Periodic murmurs around cabinet expansion, portfolio swaps, and regional representation have persisted. Pro-Shivakumar legislators are said to be pressing for a stronger say in government decision-making, arguing that electoral and organisational heft should reflect in governance roles. – Preemptive discipline: The Congress leadership, wary of public rifts, has signalled a preference for quiet resolution. Meetings in Delhi, therefore, are likely to be framed as routine consultations—yet to many observers they remain a pressure valve for containing a potential power tussle in Karnataka. Who is meeting whom—and why it matters According to people familiar with developments, the visiting Karnataka group hopes to meet party president Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leaders who weigh in on state-level decisions. The discussions, if they proceed as planned, are expected to cover three areas: leadership stability for the remainder of the term, a roadmap for cabinet and organisational tweaks, and coordination on flagship state programmes. For Team Shivakumar, the goal is twofold—reaffirm their leader’s centrality to the Karnataka unit and nudge the high command toward commitments that reflect his political capital. For Team Siddaramaiah, the priority is to protect administrative continuity and keep governance headlines—welfare delivery, fiscal management, and investment pipelines—front and center. The high command’s calculus The Congress high command has historically favoured equilibrium in states with strong dual power centres. In Karnataka, that means preserving the Siddaramaiah–Shivakumar compact while smoothing egos and balancing regions (Old Mysuru, Kalyana Karnataka, coastal belts) within the cabinet and party apparatus. Any departure from this steady-hand approach risks emboldening the opposition and unsettling bureaucratic momentum, especially with big-ticket welfare schemes underway. Signals to watch in the coming days – Messaging discipline: A coordinated line from Bengaluru and Delhi would indicate that the meetings delivered a détente and that the power tussle in Karnataka remains contained. – Administrative moves: Minor portfolio adjustments or a phased cabinet expansion could be used to accommodate factions without altering the top order. – Organisational refresh: The party may activate district-level rejigs and appointments to channel ambition away from the CM question. – Public optics: Joint appearances by Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar—especially at welfare reviews or investor pitches—would underscore continuity. Governance versus politics The state government’s headline programs—guarantee schemes, infrastructure pushes, and jobs-linked investments—have advanced under the current leadership model. Business groups and civil society have repeatedly flagged policy continuity as critical for investor confidence and service delivery. The Congress cannot afford protracted uncertainty; it must keep political competition in check while projecting stability. <img alt=Illustration: Power balance discussions in New Delhi width=100% src=data:image/svg+xml;utf8,Delhi huddles, Bengaluru ripplesHigh command confab over Karnataka leadership balanceIllustration • CC0 • The Vagabond News/> The road ahead – Quiet assurances: Expect private commitments rather than public declarations. The Congress often defuses intra-party rivalry by sequencing decisions—first organisational trims, then administrative tweaks—without touching the top perch. – Performance pivot: Both camps will be pushed to foreground service delivery. Any external friction risks ceding narrative ground to the opposition. – Timeline sensitivity: With mid-term optics and local body polls on the horizon, the party will avoid moves that could be read as instability. Bottom line The immediate question is not a formal change of guard but the terms of coexistence between two formidable leaders and their networks. The minister and MLAs heading to Delhi may publicly call it a routine consultation, but few in Vidhana Soudha doubt the subtext: a bid to shape the next phase of power-sharing. How the high command calibrates these asks will determine whether today’s murmur stays a murmur—or becomes the next flashpoint in the power tussle in Karnataka. News by The Vagabond News
