Siddaramaiah Jr’s comments on leadership leaves some MLAs fuming in Karnataka

Displeasure is mounting among a section of Congress MLAs about Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s son Yathindra Siddaramaiah frequent statements that his father will remain the CM for a full five years, a subject, they say, only the AICC leadership is competent to comment on.

Deputy CM DK Shivakumar’s younger brother DK Suresh, curtly reacted to Yathindra’s comment, while speaking to the media on Wednesday. “We are not a senior leader like him. Whatever he says is the gospel truth.”

Suresh, who is also a former Congress MP, said he agreed with party MLA HA Iqbal Hussain’s view that Yathindra escaped the party's show-cause notice for comments on the leadership issue while others got one for airing their views. “There is nothing wrong with what he (Hussain) has said. The policy must be the same for everyone,” Suresh said, while adding, “It doesn’t matter because Yatindra is also our high command.”


Siddaramaiah Jr once again commented on the leadership issue in Mysuru on Friday, triggering a fresh wave of reactions from party colleagues. The CM’s son, who is also an MLC, said the party high command has sent a clear message that Siddramaiah will remain the CM for the remainder of the five-year term, though the leadership may not have said so in so many words. The AICC leadership has not accepted the demand from others, he added, in obvious reference to Shivakumar’s demands to appoint him as the CM.

On Saturday, an irked Shivakumar told the media in Mangaluru, “Yathindra is our high command. Whatever he says, I will accept with respect. Let us accept him as the high command when he issues statements like high command.” Tanveer Sait, an MLA from Mysuru, endorsed Shivakumar, while Kolar district MLAs KY Nanje Gowda and SN Narayanaswamy also took exception to Yathindra expressing views on a subject the high command has issued gag orders on.

MLA Hussain, a staunch Shivakumar loyalist, said it was in poor taste for Siddramaiah Jr to bat for his father like this. It will carry some weight if others speak for the CM, he said on Monday.

The leadership issue had been on the boil for most of November, after Siddaramaiah completed half his term. Since Siddaramaiah took oath as CM for a second time in May 2023, there have been unconfirmed reports that Shivakumar would replace Siddaramaiah after the first 30 months. The CM and Dy CM have stopped commenting on the subject after the two had breakfast meetings in November and December. Since their breakfast meeting, they have often said they would abide by the high command decision on who should become the CM.