What is the Latest on Karnataka Cong Infighting? CM Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar to Meet Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi

Bengaluru, July 8 (NationPress) The visit of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah alongside Deputy Chief Minister and State Congress President D. K. Shivakumar to the national capital has become increasingly significant amidst prevailing discussions regarding leadership transitions, power-sharing dynamics, and internal disputes within the party.

Both leaders are anticipated to meet with Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, on Wednesday evening.

Shivakumar departed for Delhi early Tuesday morning, with plans to engage with Union Minister for Jal Shakti, C.R. Patil, and Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav, later that day.

In the meantime, despite directives from the high command, state Congress members continue to make pronouncements regarding leadership matters.

Congress MLA C.P. Yogeshwara expressed to the media on Tuesday a desire to see Deputy CM Shivakumar ascend to the position of Chief Minister. He noted that all MLAs from the region are rallying behind Shivakumar for the CM role, emphasizing a lack of dissent on this front.

"The constituents of the region are also supportive of this change," Yogeshwara stated.

"We, the MLAs, are advocating for this. The high command must make the ultimate decision. My interest isn't in a ministerial role; it’s solely about seeing Shivakumar as the CM," he added.

Shivakumar chose not to comment while departing for Delhi from Bengaluru this morning.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is set to travel to Delhi on Wednesday morning and is scheduled to meet with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh during his trip.

Sources confirm that both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar will convene with Gandhi on Wednesday night, although it remains uncertain if these discussions will occur together or separately.

Insiders report that the high command is increasingly anxious about the evolving situation in Karnataka.

CM Siddaramaiah has asserted his intention to complete a full five-year term, while Shivakumar has expressed that his aspirations will be realized, whether through effort or prayer.

Meanwhile, the prominent Rambhapuri seer has urged party leadership and Siddaramaiah to facilitate a power-sharing arrangement and allow Shivakumar to step into the limelight.

On a different note, even as CM Siddaramaiah refutes claims of being appointed Chairperson of the Congress party's National OBC Advisory Committee, the BJP alleges this is part of a scheme to oust him from the Chief Minister position.

The Karnataka BJP has criticized this as a "strategy" by Congress leadership to "marginalize" Siddaramaiah.

Furthermore, Siddaramaiah's son and Congress MLC, Yathindra Siddaramaiah, has asserted that his father will maintain the CM role for the full duration, having been appointed based on a collective consensus among party MLAs. He affirmed there is no power-sharing pact between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar.

Additionally, Randeep Singh Surjewala, Congress National General Secretary and Karnataka in-charge, is scheduled to conduct individual meetings with party MLAs in the state on Tuesday.