Congress explores formula for Karnataka hot seat

The Congress high command was engaged in delicate discussions till Monday night to find an amicable settlement on who should be Karnataka chief minister, after competing heavyweights Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar made no secret of their desire to become CM.

Though Siddaramaiah reached New Delhi on the request of the Congress high command for talks, Congress expectations of settling the matter by Monday went awry after Shivakumar cancelled his scheduled visit ‘due to stomach ache’.

Staying back in Karnataka, DKS, however, talked about his role in the party’s fightback, amid talks that the high command had proposed a rotational chief ministership with Siddaramaiah to be given the first half term, even though he pushed for a full-term. The proposal envisages Shivakumar as deputy CM and retaining PCC presidentship during the period. At the time of writing, Shivakumar has been persuaded to reach Delhi by Tuesday. There were contradictory informal claims about the preferences of the new Congress MLAs, with some claiming majority for Siddaramaiah. It was disputed by the Shivakumar camp.


Negotiations shifted to New Delhi and were held mostly at the residence of Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge since AICC office-bearers returned, after the Karnataka Congress legislature party authorised Kharge to choose the CM. After examining the preferences/views of MLAs, Kharge and some AICC brass held a meeting with Siddaramaiah on Monday night.

Though Siddaramaiah initially pushed for a full-term, there were indications of his readiness to settle for half term, provided he got the first turn. While Shivakumar too pushed for a full-term, the AICC peace formula offered him plum portfolios with the deputy CMship and he could continue as PCC chief during the Lok Sabha polls, before becoming CM in November 2025. While not so subtly claiming the CMship, Shivakumar stressed on the point that he had been a Congressman since school, a glaring remark given Siddaramaiah’s Janata Dal origins.

“Under my leadership, we have 135 MLAs and all in one voice said the matter was to be left to the party high command. My aim was to deliver Karnataka and I did. Sonia Gandhi and Kharge gave me the post of president. When majority of our MLAs left our party and when we lost our government, I did not lose hope. I am a single man; I believe that a single man with courage becomes the majority,” Shivakumar said.