Karnataka Congress News | What Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah Told Loyalists

Fresh political signals emerging from the Congress camp suggest that Karnataka's long-running leadership tussle may now be moving from resistance to negotiation. Sources told NDTV that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has indicated he will "abide by the high command's decision," a remark being seen as politically significant amid intense speculation over a transition plan favouring Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar. Behind closed doors in Delhi, Congress leaders are believed to have conveyed that a leadership change is being considered not just for Karnataka's future elections, but also as part of the party's broader 2029 national strategy. The Congress leadership now faces the delicate challenge of elevating DK Shivakumar without alienating Siddaramaiah's powerful AHINDA social coalition, which includes backward classes, Dalits and minorities. With Shivakumar staying back in Delhi for further consultations and senior leader Randeep Surjewala heading to Bengaluru, the focus has shifted to managing the optics and sequencing of the transition carefully, ensuring the change appears as a collective party decision rather than a forced political retreat.