About 30 like-minded MLAs, including C.P. Yogeshwar, H.D. Ranganath, Ganesh Hukkeri, Mantar Gowda, and Nayana Motamma, attended the meeting and decided to lobby for Mr. Shivakumar’s elevation as Chief Minister.
| Photo Credit: Special arrangement
Amid continued speculation over a possible leadership change in the ruling Congress in Karnataka, loyalists of Deputy Chief Minister and KPCC president D.K. Shivakumar gathered at a hotel to discuss strategies to promote their leader to the Chief Minister’s post.
A group of MLAs loyal to Mr. Shivakumar organised the meeting at a private hotel on Thursday (February 27, 2026) night to deliberate on ways to end the ongoing confusion surrounding the alleged power-sharing pact that was believed to have been reached during the formation of the government in May 2023.
About 30 like-minded MLAs reportedly attended the meeting and decided to lobby for Mr. Shivakumar’s elevation as Chief Minister. MLAs C.P. Yogeshwar, H.D. Ranganath, Ganesh Hukkeri, Mantar Gowda, and Nayana Motamma, among others, attended.
One more round of meetings of Mr. Shivakumar’s loyalists is likely to be held in Bengaluru before the Budget Session of the Karnataka Legislature, which will begin on March 6.
‘Future of the party’ discussed
Speaking to The Hindu, MLA Ranganath, a relative of Mr. Shivakumar, said issues related to the budget, the MLAs’ aspirations to become ministers, and the issue of leadership change were discussed during the dinner meeting.
H.C. Balakrishna, a staunch loyalist of the KPCC chief, said his birthday falls on Saturday (February 28). “Since I will not be in Bengaluru from Friday (February 27) morning, as I am going out, I invited like-minded people for a get-together on Thursday (February 26). We invited everyone and organised the gathering,” he said.
When asked about the purpose of the meeting, Magadi MLA Balakrishna said, “The discussion was that, in the present situation, if our party continues like this, it will be difficult for us to retain power in the 2028 election. The high command must take a final decision on the leadership issue. We have decided to urge the Congress high command to make a decision soon.”
During the discussions, several MLAs reportedly expressed concern that unless the leadership issue was resolved, it would be difficult for them to function effectively and the party’s future would remain uncertain, Mr. Balakrishna said.
Continued buzz around CM face
A few days ago, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, in his social media post, claimed that he was being “targeted” for reasons of his caste and social background, amid the ongoing leadership tussle between him and Mr. Shivakumar.
Earlier, Dalit ministers had held dinner meetings to discuss issues concerning their community, with many leaders expressing their wish to see a Dalit leader occupy the Chief Minister’s post.
Meanwhile, Mr. Siddaramaiah’s son and MLC, Yathindra, has reiterated on several occasions that his father would complete the full five-year term and that there was no power-sharing pact within the Congress.
Published – February 27, 2026 03:56 pm IST
