Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s loyalists have devised a contingency plan to block Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar’s potential elevation, sources told NDTV on Thursday, amid escalating tensions within the Congress party over the state’s top job. The strategy includes a mass descent on Delhi to lobby high command leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, and Rahul Gandhi, should any signal emerge favoring Shivakumar’s promotion following a crucial meeting expected today or tomorrow.

Siddaramaiah, 78, is adopting a “wait-and-watch” stance after publicly admitting to “confusion” in the party and urging a “full stop” to the infighting. If the high command insists on change, his camp is prepared to propose alternatives like Home Minister G. Parameshwara—a key Dalit leader and Siddaramaiah backer—who cryptically stated, “I’ve always been in the race.” PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi, another ally who convened a strategy session on Wednesday, emphasized that Delhi must resolve the impasse swiftly.

The rift traces back to the Congress’s 2023 assembly win, where Siddaramaiah was chosen as CM despite Shivakumar’s pivotal role in the victory, leaving him as deputy and state party chief. Whispers of a midway power-sharing “agreement”—hinted at by Shivakumar’s remarks about honoring promises—have fueled speculation, especially after the term’s halfway mark passed last week without change. Shivakumar, 62, has played down ambitions, endorsing Siddaramaiah publicly while subtly reminding the party of commitments.

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Pro-Shivakumar MLAs, like Ramanagara’s Iqbal Hussain (“200 percent sure”), have ramped up calls for a switch, prompting Jarkiholi to meet Shivakumar—though details remain undisclosed. Kharge, exasperated by the drama, vowed to “fix it” with the Gandhis before summoning both leaders to Delhi.

The feud risks destabilizing the government, with the opposition BJP gleefully watching as Congress grapples with internal divisions just two years into its term. Sources indicate no immediate resolution, but the high command’s decision could reshape Karnataka’s political landscape.

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