Congress Holds Key Meetings on Chief Minister Change

A leadership change in the Karnataka government appears imminent, with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah reportedly preparing to resign from his post. According to party sources, he is expected to host a breakfast meeting with cabinet colleagues before submitting his resignation to the Governor at Lok Bhavan in Bengaluru. The development comes after multiple rounds of discussions held in New Delhi between Congress high command leaders, including AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, KC Venugopal, and Randeep Surjewala, along with Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar.

Sources indicate that the party leadership has suggested Siddaramaiah step down and facilitate a transition, offering him a Rajya Sabha seat and a possible role as Leader of the Opposition in the Upper House. Additionally, reports suggest that his son Yathindra could be considered for the Deputy Chief Minister post. While Siddaramaiah has not fully accepted the proposal, he is consulting his supporters. Meanwhile, he has reportedly proposed that the Chief Minister post be given to a leader from the AHINDA communities, which could benefit Home Minister Dr. G Parameshwara. DK Shivakumar, on the other hand, is said to be insisting on the CM post as per a prior power-sharing agreement. However, KC Venugopal and Siddaramaiah have publicly dismissed leadership change reports, stating discussions were limited to Rajya Sabha and MLC elections.