A fresh twist has emerged in the ongoing leadership tussle within the Karnataka Congress after party MLA H A Iqbal Hussain on Saturday claimed that Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar is likely to take over as the state’s chief minister on January 6, replacing incumbent Siddaramaiah.
Speaking to reporters, the Ramanagara MLA said there was a strong possibility of Shivakumar being elevated to the top post, asserting that the deputy chief minister deserved an opportunity to lead the state.
“There is a 99 per cent chance that he becomes chief minister on January 6,” Hussain told media, reiterating his public support for Shivakumar.
When asked about the importance of the date, Hussain admitted that it was speculative. “I don’t know. It’s just a random number. Everybody is saying this. It can either be January 6 or January 9. These are the two dates,” he said.
Hussain has been openly advocating Shivakumar’s elevation and had made similar statements a day earlier, adding to the growing buzz around a possible change in leadership.
BJP Leader Backs Parameshwara for CM Post
Meanwhile, Union Minister of State for Railways and BJP MP V Somanna weighed in on the debate, expressing support for Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara as a potential chief ministerial candidate.
Addressing a programme in Tumakuru, Somanna said, “Getting power is a matter of luck. I never imagined Parameshwara would remain just as Home Minister. It is our wish — and the wish of the people of Tumakuru — to see him as the chief minister.”
Asked about Shivakumar’s prospects, Somanna remarked, “Leave it. That’s secondary. What Shivakumar wants to become depends on his luck. Conduct is even bigger than luck.”
Sonia Gandhi to Step In? Key Delhi Meeting Scheduled
Amid the speculation, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar are scheduled to meet Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi on December 14, sources said.
The meeting will reportedly take place after the Congress’s mega rally at Ramlila Maidan, organised as part of the party’s ‘Vote Chor Gaddi Chhod’ campaign, which accuses the ruling BJP of collusion with the Election Commission.
The Congress currently holds a comfortable majority of nearly 140 MLAs in the 224-member Karnataka Assembly.
Leadership Split Formula in Focus
The leadership debate has intensified since the Congress government crossed the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20. Reports have repeatedly suggested the existence of a 2.5-year power-sharing agreement, under which Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar would split the chief minister’s tenure.
While neither leader nor the party has officially confirmed such an arrangement, Shivakumar recently hinted at a “secret deal”, without providing further details.
So far, the 63-year-old Shivakumar has avoided making any direct move against 77-year-old Siddaramaiah, even as speculation around a leadership transition continues to grow.