6 Cong. MLAs land in Delhi, push for DKS as CM

New Delhi: As the power tussle within the ruling Congress intensifies in Karnataka, a group of party legislators backing Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has reached New Delhi to meet the Congress high command. According to sources, at least six MLAs landed in the national capital on Sunday night, with a few more expected to follow soon to push for Shivakumar to be made Chief Minister.

Speculation over a change in leadership has grown after the Congress government completed the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20, amid talk of a “power-sharing” agreement between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar when the government was formed in 2023.

The MLAs currently in Delhi include H.C. Balakrishna (Magadi), K.M. Uday (Maddur), Nayana Motamma (Mudigere), Iqbal Hussain (Ramanagara), Sharath Bachegowda (Hosakote) and Shivaganga Basavaraj (Channagiri), party sources said.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said on Monday that he is willing to continue in office if the Congress high command wants him to, stressing that any decision on a leadership change rests entirely with the party’s central leadership. He added that both he and Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar would abide by whatever decision is taken.

Last week, the party had issued a stern warning to its MLAs. Randeep Singh Surjewala, AICC general secretary in charge of Karnataka, said: “The needless statements of some Congress leaders and MLAs have added to speculation. The INC has sternly warned them against making any public remarks on leadership or falling for agendas propagated by vested interests. The leadership has taken note of the views expressed by various party functionaries.”

Insiders say many MLAs are jockeying for cabinet berths as a reshuffle is pending, and that they plan to stay in Delhi despite Surjewala’s strong rebuke.