Will Karnataka's CM be replaced? MLAs close to DK Shivakumar camp in Delhi; will Siddaramaiah quit?
A minister and some MLAs close to Karnataka's Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar arrived in Delhi on Thursday. There is growing talk about a possible change in the Chief Minister of Karnataka, which some are calling the "November Revolution." However, Siddaramaiah, the current Chief Minister, has denied these rumors. He has been in office for two and a half years.
After the Assembly election results on May 20, 2023, there was a strong competition between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar for the Chief Minister role. Eventually, Congress chose Siddaramaiah as CM and Shivakumar as Deputy CM.
Some reports suggested a plan for a rotational Chief Minister, where Shivakumar would take over after two and a half years, but the party did not confirm this. Siddaramaiah insists he will remain in his position for five years.
Some MLAs who support Shivakumar want him to become Chief Minister. On Thursday, Minister N Chaluvarayaswamy and MLAs Iqbal Hussain, HC Balakrishna and SR Srinivas travelled to Delhi.
At least a dozen more MLAs are expected to reach the Capital on Friday. A few days earlier, nearly a dozen Congress MLCs had reportedly camped in Delhi and held discussions with party general secretaries.
Recently, some Members of the Legislative Council (MLCs) also met with Congress leaders in Delhi. During an event in Chamarajanagar, Siddaramaiah said that he feels secure in his role as Chief Minister and plans to continue.
Shivakumar's brother, D.K. Suresh, a former MP, mentioned that Siddaramaiah keeps his promises. When asked if Siddaramaiah would honor any agreements with Shivakumar, Suresh said he didn't have that information and suggested asking senior party members. He noted that the decision is now up to the party leaders, including Congress President and Rahul Gandhi.