: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy CM DK Shivakumar, and Congress MP KC Venugopal speak to the media after a meeting of the Congress high command at Indira Bhawan, in New Delhi, Tuesday, May 26, 2026.
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Fresh speculation over a possible leadership transition in Karnataka resurfaced on Tuesday after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar held meetings with the Congress high command in Delhi, even as the party refrained from making any formal announcement on the issue.High command holds back-to-back consultationsAccording to sources, the Congress leadership is believed to be weighing a possible arrangement that could see Siddaramaiah move to a national role, potentially through a Rajya Sabha nomination, while opening the door for Shivakumar to assume charge in Karnataka. Party leaders, however, have publicly denied any immediate change in leadership and insisted that discussions within the organisation are routine.The back-to-back consultations involving Siddaramaiah, Shivakumar and senior Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, have nevertheless added to political chatter around a possible reshuffle in the state.Possible CLP meeting in BengaluruSources suggested that the party may convene a Congress Legislature Party meeting in Bengaluru if discussions on a transition gather momentum. At present, however, there is no official indication from Congress on whether such a move is imminent.Long-running succession speculation continuesThe leadership question in Karnataka has remained alive since the Congress returned to power in 2023, with recurring speculation around a rotational arrangement between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar. While Shivakumar has recently made guarded remarks on the issue, Siddaramaiah has continued to maintain that he will complete his full term as chief minister.Published on May 26, 2026
