Karnataka’s political temperature skyrocketed on October 28, 2025, as Leader of Opposition R Ashoka doubled down on the BJP’s explosive “November revolution” prophecy, declaring Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s exit “definite” and exposing an alleged Congress high command deal where the CM post is up for auction to the highest “payer.” Speaking in Bengaluru, Ashoka claimed Karnataka has been reduced to a cash cow—branded an “ATM” by the ruling Congress—to bankroll party campaigns in Bihar’s ongoing assembly polls and Tamil Nadu’s 2026 showdown, with either Siddaramaiah or Deputy CM DK Shivakumar set to retain power based on who delivers the bigger “payment.”
Ashoka pounced on Siddaramaiah’s own statement that he would serve the full five-year term “only if the high command decides,” interpreting it as proof of a secret power-sharing pact. “The legislature elects a CM for five years. If he’s now deferring to Delhi, it confirms a settlement,” Ashoka charged, alleging that infrastructure splurges—like the sudden green light for Bengaluru’s ₹15,000-crore tunnel road project—aren’t for traffic relief but to funnel contracts and kickbacks ahead of Bihar voting. “Why hike taxes? Why fast-track projects now? It’s all to fill Congress coffers for Bihar and Tamil Nadu,” he thundered, urging voters to see through the “scheme.”
The “November revolution” rumor has gripped Karnataka’s political circles since mid-2025, tied to whispers of a 2023 pre-poll agreement where Siddaramaiah would step down at the term’s halfway mark—November 2025—for Shivakumar. Congress MLAs have grown restless over delayed guarantees, drought relief fumbles, and the MUDA land scam clouding Siddaramaiah, while Shivakumar’s aggressive fundraising and Vokkaliga consolidation have fueled his camp’s push. Sources say Delhi observers have held closed-door meetings with both leaders, with AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge under pressure to balance caste equations and party unity.
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Adding fuel, Ashoka revealed alleged WhatsApp leaks from Congress insiders showing “payment targets” for poll-bound states, with Karnataka mandated to contribute ₹800 crore via discretionary grants and contract awards. The BJP plans statewide rallies starting November 1, branding the Congress regime “ATM Sarkar” and demanding a CBI probe into fund diversions. Meanwhile, Siddaramaiah dismissed the claims as “baseless opposition propaganda,” insisting his government’s focus remains on development, not Delhi’s diktats.
As November looms, the Congress high command faces a high-stakes call: retain the veteran Siddaramaiah for stability or crown the ambitious Shivakumar to energize the base. With BJP sensing blood, Karnataka braces for a seismic leadership quake that could redefine South India’s power map ahead of 2028.
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