Karnataka power deal? Siddaramaiah's son in Cabinet, aide as Congress chief
Speculation has intensified that the Congress high command may replace Siddaramaiah with DK Shivakumar in Karnataka. The buzz has shifted attention to power-sharing talks, including roles for Satish Jarkiholi and Siddaramaiah's son Dr Yathindra.
With intense speculation that the Congress high command has finally settled the leadership tussle in Karnataka, deciding to replace Chief Minister Siddaramaiah with DK Shivakumar, the focus has now turned to backroom bargaining in the state. With Siddaramaiah pushing hard to keep the balance of power, sources said his close aide Satish Jarkiholi was the frontrunner to be the state Congress president and his son, Dr Yathindra, might be accommodated in the new Shivakumar Cabinet.
The formula is being seen as Congress's attempt to strike a balance within the Karnataka unit, with Siddaramaiah likely to get a national role. Sources said Siddaramaiah, one of Karnataka's tallest OBC leaders, has been offered a Rajya Sabha seat. He is also likely to get a larger organisational role in Delhi ahead of the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.
CONGRESS'S KARNATAKA BALANCING ACT
To keep him in good stead, the Congress is likely to hand his loyalists plum posts. Sources said Shivakumar may resign as Karnataka Congress president, and Jarkiholi, a close aide of Siddaramaih, may get the post. It will also keep the caste equation in play as Jarkiholi belongs to the Scheduled Tribe (ST) community.
Moreover, Dr Yathindra Siddaramaiah, who is presently an MLC, may be given a key post in the Shivakumar Cabinet, sources said.
Siddaramaiah, a mass leader with strong public support, is likely to resign as Chief Minister as early as Thursday. To ensure a smooth transition of power, Shivakumar is scheduled to attend a breakfast meeting with Siddaramaiah at his residence in Kaveri on May 28 at 9 am. This way, the optics will be taken care of.
According to sources, the formula was finalised during a marathon meeting of the Congress high command held in Delhi on Tuesday. It is believed that Rahul Gandhi, who held a one-on-one meeting with Siddaramaiah, conveyed the message to him.
However, both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar are tight-lipped on the developments. It remains unclear if Siddaramaiah will accept the formula and move to a national role, given his previously stated preference for remaining in Karnataka politics.