The Congress on Tuesday termed as "mere speculation" the talk about any leadership change in Karnataka and asserted that the day-long discussions between the central and state top brass were solely focused on the upcoming elections to the Rajya Sabha and the state legislative council. Though Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge had convened a meeting to decide party candidates for the two elections, the point of interest remained the protracted leadership tussle between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar, who were summoned to Delhi. Following nearly six hours of meetings in Delhi with Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar, Congress general secretary KC Venugopal reiterated that the agenda was confined to candidate selection for the upcoming Rajya Sabha and Legislative Council elections. Party president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, and senior leaders participated in the discussions, which they framed as routine organisational work.
We had a detailed meeting with Hon’ble Congress President Shri @kharge and LoP Shri @RahulGandhi today.
— Congress (@INCIndia) May 26, 2026
Karnataka CM Shri @siddaramaiah, Karnataka Deputy CM Shri @DKShivakumar, the General Secretary in-charge of Karnataka, and I were part of the discussion.
The entire… pic.twitter.com/mcLuRktaps
Sources said the Shivakumar camp has been pressing Siddaramaiah to quit the top post and a formula to accommodate him in the central role has been offered to him, which he has not accepted. The formula includes giving Siddaramaiah a Rajya Sabha seat, they said.
The leadership debate is unfolding alongside preparations for the June 18 Rajya Sabha polls, where Congress is expected to win three of four Karnataka seats, including Kharge’s re-election. Discussions reportedly included fielding DK Suresh, Shivakumar’s brother, and ensuring representation for women or OBC candidates. Party strategists are wary of leadership changes before these votes, as they rely on the support of MLAs from all factions to secure victories.
(State Correpondent)
Dr Mysi Patil





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