Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and state Congress president DK Shivakumar met All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Mallikarjun Kharge at his Bengaluru residence this morning, fueling speculation about the party’s internal dynamics. The 45-minute closed-door discussion, confirmed by Shivakumar on X, covered “several matters,” though specifics remained undisclosed. The timing of the meeting has drawn attention, as it coincides with persistent rumors of a potential shift in Karnataka’s Chief Ministership, currently held by Siddaramaiah.

The Congress has been grappling with factional tensions since its 2023 Assembly election victory, with whispers of discontent resurfacing after the party’s strong showing in recent bypolls. Shivakumar, a key architect of that success, has long been seen as a contender for the top post, a role he conceded to Siddaramaiah in a power-sharing deal that made him Deputy CM. However, posts on X and murmurs within party circles suggest some leaders are pushing for a leadership change, citing Siddaramaiah’s handling of the MUDA land controversy and perceived governance lapses. Shivakumar’s meeting with Kharge, a veteran Congress troubleshooter, is being interpreted as a possible signal of high-level deliberations.

While no official statement has addressed the Chief Ministership rumors, Shivakumar’s track record as a party organizer and his Vokkaliga community ties keep him in the spotlight. Sources close to the leadership dismiss the speculation, insisting the meeting focused on organizational matters ahead of the 2025 local elections. Yet, with Karnataka’s 28 Lok Sabha seats crucial for Congress’s national ambitions, any shift could ripple beyond the state. For now, the Kharge-Shivakumar huddle remains a twist in Karnataka’s evolving political saga.