The Karnataka Congress is facing a leadership crisis, prompting intervention from the party's high command. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar are scheduled to meet for breakfast today, November 29, 2025, at 9:30 AM at Cauvery, the official chief ministerial residence, following a directive from the Congress leadership to resolve the ongoing issues.
The central issue revolves around a purported power-sharing agreement between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, with Shivakumar's camp pushing for him to be appointed as Chief Minister as the government approaches the midpoint of its term. Shivakumar and his supporters are advocating that the party honor what they claim was an internal power-sharing arrangement agreed upon in 2023. However, the Congress has not officially confirmed such an agreement, and Siddaramaiah has consistently stated that he intends to serve the full five-year term as Chief Minister.
Ahead of the breakfast meeting, Siddaramaiah affirmed his loyalty to the party and stated that his position remains unchanged. Meanwhile, Shivakumar remarked that he is "not in a hurry" for the Chief Minister's post.
The Congress high command has been actively involved in attempting to mediate the situation. A senior party functionary in Delhi stated that both leaders have been asked to resolve the issue through discussions and present a mutually agreed-upon solution to the high command, which would be endorsed if both leaders are in agreement. K.C. Venugopal of the Congress High Command specifically instructed both leaders to defuse the ongoing tension and "war of words" between them. Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge has also indicated that the Karnataka leadership issue will be resolved after a collective discussion with Rahul Gandhi, senior leaders, the Chief Minister, and the Deputy Chief Minister, emphasizing that the decision will be a team call.
Adding another layer to the situation, Shivakumar invoked Sonia Gandhi's decision to forgo the prime ministership in 2004 while recommending Manmohan Singh's name, highlighting the theme of sacrifice. He also took the opportunity to urge voters to continue supporting the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government.
Amidst the leadership tussle, there are also discussions regarding a potential cabinet reshuffle, with two ministerial posts currently vacant. These positions are expected to be filled during the reshuffle.
The ongoing crisis has drawn reactions from various quarters. H.D. Kumaraswamy has said that the state administration has collapsed. Congress veteran Veerappa Moily expressed concern that the open confrontation has caused "national embarrassment" and criticized the Congress high command for "allowing the situation to worsen". He cautioned that the party could struggle to remain in power in the state if the "manufactured crisis" is not resolved. Dalit organizations in Karnataka have also voiced their support for Home Minister G. Parameshwara to be considered for the Chief Minister's post.
