Now, Karnataka CM’s camp says CLP decides leadership issue

Amid speculations over a possible leadership change after completion of the mid-term of the Congress government in Karnataka, some loyalists of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah appear to be bargaining hard for his continuation in the post for the full five years and they have begun claiming that the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) will take a decision on the matter and it will be later endorsed by the party high command.

Sources close to the Chief Minister argue that Mr. Siddaramaiah was elected by the CLP in May 2023 and not selected by the party high command. In case there was demand for a leadership change, once again the CLP would take a decision and the party’s top brass would endorse it, they said.

The Congress government would complete its mid-term on November 20.

Speaking to The Hindu, Basavaraj Rayaraddi, Congress MLA and Economic Adviser to the Chief Minister, said he was confident of Mr. Siddaramaiah completing the full five-year term. The CLP unanimously elected him to the post, and there is no reason to displace him, he said.

A few days ago, Mr. Shivakumar had said that “in the Congress, no decision is taken on numbers” on the leadership change, and the party high command would take a decision on the matter, irrespective of the number of MLAs supporting the Chief Minister.

The loyalists of the Chief Minister, however, contend that the leader must always enjoy the confidence of the party legislators. The leader elected by the CLP would become the Chief Minister, and this was the tradition followed in the Congress, they said.

Mr. Siddaramaiah is expected to visit the national capital on November 15, a day after the Bihar election results, for discussions on his proposal for the Cabinet reshuffle. The Chief Minister has been saying that he would revamp the Cabinet after the party high command clears the proposal.

Mr. Shivakumar has been demanding the top post after the mid-term, as per an informal pact said to be agreed upon during the formation of the government.