In a significant political move, over ten Congress MLAs loyal to Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar have travelled to New Delhi to meet with top party leaders. This development comes as Chief Minister Siddaramaiah marks two and a half years in office, amid ongoing speculation about a power-sharing agreement within the party. The MLAs, including Minister N. Chaluvarayaswamy and others, are advocating for the implementation of what they claim was a prior arrangement for Shivakumar to take over the chief minister's role after this period.

The group is set to meet Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and General Secretary KC Venugopal to press their demands. Several more legislators are expected to join them in the capital on Friday. This push for leadership change follows intense competition between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar for the chief minister's position after the May 2023 Assembly elections, where Siddaramaiah was ultimately chosen as Chief Minister and Shivakumar as his deputy.

Despite the claims of a rotational chief minister formula, the Congress party has not officially confirmed such an agreement. Siddaramaiah has consistently stated his intention to serve the full five-year term, asserting that his position “has been strong from the beginning and will continue to remain so.” He recently described discussions about changing the chief minister as “an unnecessary debate.”

In response to the MLAs' trip to Delhi, Shivakumar distanced himself from the developments, stating he was “not aware” of their plans and was currently unwell. He expressed support for Siddaramaiah, saying, “I am very glad about it. Our party has given him the responsibility to work as chief minister. We all are working together.”

As the situation unfolds, the Congress party is preparing for crucial internal negotiations, with the outcome likely to impact the political landscape in Karnataka significantly. The next few days will be critical as both factions within the party seek to assert their positions.