Key Takeaways:

• Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah says Rahul Gandhi and Congress high command will decide any change in state leadership.
• The power tussle intensified as the Congress government reached the midpoint of its five-year term, prompting speculation of a change.
• Siddaramaiah affirmed he has spoken to the high command and will abide by its decision, while local leaders are urged to accept party verdicts.
• Senior leaders including Shivakumar and K N Rajanna have been active in talks, but the high command remains the ultimate arbiter.

Siddaramaiah Says High Command Will Decide Karnataka Leadership Issue

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday reiterated that any decision on the state’s leadership rests with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and the party high command, saying he will abide by whatever verdict they reach. His remarks came amid mounting speculation about a possible change at the helm as the state government reached the halfway point of its five-year term on 20 November.

Karnataka leadership issue: High command to make the call

Asked directly whether he expected to serve the full five-year term, Siddaramaiah declined to speculate, noting that such matters are for the party’s central leadership to decide. “I have spoken to the high command. They have said that they will decide. I will abide by whatever the high command decides,” he told reporters in Mysuru.

The chief minister’s clarification followed comments from Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, who said that confusion over the leadership issue existed only at the local level and not within the party high command. Kharge urged local leaders to take ownership of internal disputes rather than attribute them to decisions from Delhi.

Siddaramaiah sought to calm debate over the matter, questioning why the media continued to raise the issue after the high command had already been consulted. He reminded reporters that he had addressed the Assembly on Friday, asserting his intention to continue in office and asserting that the high command was “in my favour”.

State politics have seen a notable uptick in activity. Senior Congress leader D K Shivakumar, who heads the party’s state unit, said he and Siddaramaiah had reached an understanding with the involvement of the high command and that both would abide by its conclusions. Meanwhile, a meeting between Shivakumar and senior MLA K N Rajanna at a private guest house in Mysuru drew attention over the weekend.

Siddaramaiah dismissed suggestions of a looming “political revolution” after Sankranti, reiterating that the high command remains the final arbiter. He also accepted Kharge’s remark that no individual is bigger than the party and said that this principle should be respected by all leaders.

Addressing claims about past appointments, the chief minister downplayed credit-claiming over positions such as the Apex Bank chairmanship, pointing out that appointments were made by the government in office at the time. He characterised discussions over who appointed whom as secondary to the broader question of party unity and adherence to central decisions.

Political observers say the episode highlights the tensions that can emerge within state units of national parties as they navigate local ambitions and central directives. For now, the Congress high command’s decision — and the timing of any announcement — remains unclear. Siddaramaiah’s repeated assurances that he will abide by the high command’s ruling are likely intended to signal unity and calm internal dissent while the party determines its next steps.

With the state midway through its term, party leaders will be watching closely for any signs of a change in leadership, but until the high command speaks, the matter remains unresolved.