No clarity yet on Karnataka CM: Kharge

As speculation around the Chief Minister change in Karnataka refuses to die down, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday said that the party high command will decide whatever it is, and he has nothing to say now.

The AICC chief stated this, a day after his more than an hour-long meeting with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah here.

“I have nothing to say about the developments that have happened. So, you (media) standing here is a waste of your time and I too feel bad. Whatever it is, the high command will do it. There is no need for you to worry more about it,” Kharge told reporters outside his residence here.

The power tussle within the ruling party has intensified, amid speculations about chief minister change in the State, after the Congress Government reached the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20.

Speaking to reporters last night, after meeting Kharge, the second such meeting between the two in less than a week, Siddaramaiah, while responding to a question regarding clarity about his tenure as the CM, had said, he will abide by whatever the high command decides, and everyone also should.

He however, had termed the buzz around leadership change as speculation and media creation.

The CM’s meeting with the AICC chief had come after some MLAs supporting Shivakumar travelled to Delhi and met Kharge, as the Congress Government completed 2.5 years in office.

Shivakumar, however had said he was not aware of legislators travelling to Delhi to meet Kharge.

On Sunday, Ministers HC Mahadevappa and K Venkatesh — considered close to CM Siddaramaiah —met Kharge at his residence.

Speaking to reporters after meeting Kharge, Mahadevappa said, there is no situation for CM change now, and in case such a situation arises, the Congress high command will decide.

Stating that it was a courtesy call with Kharge, he said, during the meeting, organising the party and preparing it for the upcoming local body polls were discussed.

Asked about the discussion on leadership change, Dalit CM and cabinet reshuffle with Kharge, the minister said, “None of them were discussed. There is no race for the CM post.” Asserting that there is no question of leadership change before the party, as Siddaramaiah, who is holding the CM position is working effectively, he said, “If such a situation arises, the high command will take a decision, but such a situation is not there right now.”

Mahadevappa also ruled out on any signature campaign in the party to gather opinion on the CM change. “No one has called or contacted us so far.”

“Congress will complete its full term and will come back to power in 2028. The CM will be there till 2028 and complete the term,” he added.

While Siddaramaiah is pushing for a reshuffle of his Cabinet, Shivakumar wants the party to first decide on a leadership change, party sources said.

According to several party insiders, if the Congress high command approves the cabinet reshuffle, it would signal that the incumbent chief minister Siddaramaiah will complete the full five-year term, which will scuttle the chances of Shivakumar from occupying the coveted post.

There was stiff competition between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar for the chief minister’s post after the declaration of Assembly election results in May 2023, and the Congress had managed to convince the latter and made him the Deputy CM.

There were some reports at the time that a compromise had been reached based on a “rotational chief minister formula,” according to which Shivakumar will become CM after two-and-a-half years, but they were not officially confirmed by the party.