Bengaluru: The political tension within the ruling Congress in Karnataka has escalated, with Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and his brother, DK Suresh, mounting pressure on the high command for the timely handover of power, as promised during the formation of the government. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who is determined to complete his term, is preparing a cabinet reshuffle to consolidate his position and push back the growing opposition within his party.
Handover of power remains unresolved
In an effort to fulfill the agreement made before the formation of the government, D.K. Shivakumar has reiterated that it is now time for Siddaramaiah to honor his commitment and hand over power as promised. “We waited for two and a half years with restraint. We have been patient. It’s time for you to honor the deal and give us the power as agreed,” said Shivakumar, voicing the sentiment of his faction.
As per the original agreement before the formation of the Congress government, Siddaramaiah was to serve as the Chief Minister for the first two and a half years, with Shivakumar taking over the second half of the term. The D.K. brothers have now intensified their demand for the handover, citing their loyalty to the party and the commitments made to them.
Cabinet reshuffle: Siddaramaiah’s counter-strategy
Siddaramaiah, on the other hand, has been working on his own counter-strategy. After meeting with top leaders of the Congress party, including Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, he has pushed forward the proposal for a cabinet reshuffle. Siddaramaiah’s rationale for the reshuffle is to inject new energy into the government, arguing that several ministers have underperformed and need to be replaced to revive the government’s functioning.
Sources confirm that Siddaramaiah had extensive discussions with Rahul Gandhi and Kharge on the matter. While Kharge has not objected to the reshuffle, he has advised Siddaramaiah to work closely with Shivakumar and resolve any differences before proceeding with the reshuffle. A decision to replace 10 to 12 ministers, including the resignation of B. Nagendra and K.N. Rajanna, has been proposed.
DK Shivakumar’s response to reshuffle
Despite the cabinet reshuffle being seen as a way to defuse the tension, D.K. Shivakumar and his supporters are adamant that the issue of power-sharing should be settled first. Shivakumar has indicated that he will continue to press for the handover of power, irrespective of the reshuffle. He insists that the Congress party cannot afford to ignore the commitment made to him.
“We accepted the deal, worked in full cooperation, and contributed to the party’s success. Now, it is time for Siddaramaiah to keep his word,” Shivakumar stated. He and his brother D.K. Suresh have already met with Kharge in Delhi and are awaiting further discussions with Rahul Gandhi.
Shivakumar is set to return to Delhi this Wednesday to meet Rahul Gandhi once again, continuing his efforts to pressure the high command into acting on the power-sharing agreement.
Pressure mounting as Legislative Assembly session nears
As the Karnataka Legislative Assembly session scheduled for December 8 approaches, the Congress party is under increasing pressure to resolve its internal conflict over power-sharing. Sources suggest that Congress leaders are considering another round of consultations with the high command after the session or at an appropriate time to finalize the cabinet reshuffle and address the ongoing dispute.
While Siddaramaiah’s faction aims to extend his tenure with the reshuffle, the D.K. Shivakumar camp is focused on securing the handover of power, believing that this is the only way to ensure stability within the party and avoid further internal strife.
