Kolar: The ongoing debate over the possible power transfer within the Karnataka Congress has taken a new turn, as two prominent MLAs from Kolar district met Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar in Bengaluru on November 28. The meetings, held at a time when speculations over leadership change are intensifying, have stirred fresh calculations in political circles and raised questions about the intentions behind these sudden interactions.
Malur MLA K.Y. Nanjegowda and Kolar MLA Kottur Manjunath met Shivakumar at his Sadashivanagar residence. Senior Congress leader Adinarayana from Mulbagilu, Kunigal MLA Dr Ranganath, and former Rajya Sabha member Prof. M.V. Rajeev Gowda also joined them. Later, Shivakumar held separate consultations with the two Kolar MLAs, further fueling the intrigue. The DCM shared a photo of the meeting on Facebook, prompting hundreds of comments and discussions.
The timing of these meetings is especially significant because Kottur Manjunath had met Chief Minister Siddaramaiah just two days earlier, accompanied by KGF MLA Rupakala Shashidhar. In contrast, Bangarpet MLA S.N. Narayanaswamy remains the only Congress legislator from the district who has not met either leader recently.
With four Congress MLAs representing the district, the sudden political activity has led to widespread speculation. While the leaders insist that the discussions were about constituency development, many observers question whether a DCM with open aspirations for the Chief Minister’s post would call such meetings merely to discuss local issues. Public opinion on social media strongly suggests that the meetings were about political alignment ahead of possible internal changes.
A statement by Nanjegowda has further triggered confusion. He said, “The Congress should win the 2028 elections again under the leadership of Siddaramaiah and D.K. Shivakumar. That is our goal,” leading to intense debate on whether he was attempting to balance both factions or subtly favoring one.
Privately, party insiders acknowledge that openly supporting either Siddaramaiah or Shivakumar may risk alienating caste groups or power centers ahead of the 2028 elections. Leaders fear losing support if they misread the political winds.
K.H. Muniyappa’s breakfast meeting creates fresh ripples
In another development, senior minister and former union railway minister K.H. Muniyappa, also from Kolar district, held a breakfast meeting with Congress veteran B.K. Hariprasad, former minister H. Anjaneya, and several others in Bengaluru on Friday. Sources claim the meeting leaned in favor of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah as most participants were considered his close associates.
Muniyappa, reacting to media questions in Kolar, said, “Hariprasad and I have been close friends for many years. Even when we were in Delhi, we used to meet frequently. We discussed the current confusion in the party.” His clarification, however, has not eliminated speculation.
MLAs claim the high command will decide
Both MLAs—Nanjegowda and Manjunath—have publicly maintained that leadership decisions rest solely with the high command. “We support whoever the high command decides. The CM and DCM are like two eyes of the Congress party,” Nanjegowda said. Manjunath added that they only met Shivakumar regarding issues related to Mulbagilu and the Kolar Block Congress President.
Personal ambitions behind political meetings?
Despite these statements, political observers say personal ambitions are a major factor. Nanjegowda, from the Vokkaliga community, is the current KOMUL president and a former director of KMF. He now reportedly seeks the post of KMF president, but faces opposition from D.K. Suresh, who also wants the position. This makes his meeting with Shivakumar strategically significant.
Kottur Manjunath, meanwhile, is said to be aspiring either for a ministerial post or for the chairmanship of the Kolar-Chikkaballapur DCC Bank, where he currently serves as a director. As the only MLA from his community to have won nationwide, he is believed to be leveraging his position to push for greater political rewards.
