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Will DK Shivakumar get Karnataka CM crown
New Delhi: Amid the intensifying power crisis within the Karnataka Congress, speculation is growing stronger over a possible leadership transition that could see Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar finally taking over the Chief Minister’s post from Siddaramaiah.
The power tussle between Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has emerged as the defining political battle within the Karnataka Congress, drawing the direct attention of the party’s central leadership in New Delhi.
What began as a delicate power-sharing arrangement after the Congress’ emphatic victory in the 2023 Karnataka Assembly elections has steadily transformed into a prolonged leadership confrontation between the party’s two tallest state leaders.
With speculation over a possible change of guard intensifying, the Congress high command is now actively engaged in containing the crisis before it impacts governance and the party’s electoral prospects.
The roots of the conflict trace back to May 2023, when the Congress stormed to power with 135 Assembly seats. The victory, however, was immediately followed by a fierce contest for the Chief Minister’s post between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar.
For nearly five days, senior Congress leaders remained locked in marathon discussions in Delhi as both camps aggressively lobbied the high command.
Eventually, the party leadership brokered a compromise under which Siddaramaiah became Chief Minister while Shivakumar was appointed the lone Deputy Chief Minister with key portfolios. Around the same time, political circles were rife with speculation about an informal “2.5-year rotational CM formula,” though the Congress never officially acknowledged such an agreement.
The uneasy truce began showing visible cracks by July 2025, when factional tensions spilled into the open at Karnataka Bhavan in New Delhi. Officials and aides linked to both leaders were reportedly involved in a heated verbal spat and physical confrontation, exposing the growing mistrust between the two camps and embarrassing the party leadership.
The leadership issue resurfaced more aggressively in November 2025 as the Congress government completed 30 months in office - the halfway mark of its tenure. Supporters of Shivakumar openly began demanding implementation of the alleged rotational arrangement, with several loyalist MLAs travelling to Delhi to push for a leadership transition.
Siddaramaiah, however, made it clear that he intended to continue as Chief Minister for the full five-year term and even hinted at presenting the next state budget himself. Shivakumar, while avoiding direct confrontation in public, repeatedly maintained that the final decision rested with the Congress high command.
The political temperature rose further in February 2026 after Shivakumar signalled his organisational strength within the Karnataka Congress. Sources indicated that the Deputy CM conveyed to the party leadership that he continued to enjoy the backing of a large section of Congress MLAs and alliance supporters, reinforcing his claim as a natural contender for the top post.
Now, in May 2026, the internal battle has entered its most crucial phase. The Congress high command has summoned both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar to Delhi for high-level consultations with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leader Rahul Gandhi.
While party general secretary KC Venugopal has publicly maintained that the discussions are linked to upcoming Rajya Sabha and Legislative Council elections, senior party sources suggest the real focus is Karnataka’s leadership transition.
According to insiders, the Congress leadership has explored the possibility of moving Siddaramaiah to national politics through the Rajya Sabha, potentially paving the way for Shivakumar to assume the Chief Minister’s post. Amid mounting speculation, Siddaramaiah has reportedly been holding a series of closed-door meetings with trusted ministers and loyalists to assess his political options.
With both leaders commanding significant influence within the Karnataka Congress, the outcome of the ongoing negotiations is expected to shape not only the future leadership of the state government but also the party’s internal power balance ahead of the 2028 Karnataka Assembly elections.
