Siddaramaiah refutes speculation over move to national politics

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday dismissed speculation over his possible shift to national politics, following reports of his appointment to the All India Congress Committee (AICC) OBC Advisory Council. Paying tribute to Babu Jagjivan Ram on his death anniversary at Vidhana Soudha, Siddaramaiah said, “There is no question of my moving to national politics.” He clarified on social media platform ‘X’ that he had only been nominated as a member of the Council, not as its chairman, and was unaware of any formal appointment until media reports surfaced.The Chief Minister revealed that he had not been officially briefed by the AICC and would speak to the high command for clarification. “Whether I have been made a coordinator or given another role, I will only comment after confirmation,” he said. Despite the confusion, Siddaramaiah will host a meeting of the OBC Advisory Council on July 15 at KPCC headquarters, to be chaired by Dr Anil Jaihind. Interestingly, he has invited his longtime critic BK Hariprasad to the event, which will see participation from around 50 senior leaders, including former chief ministers, MPs, and MLAs, to discuss key issues affecting OBC communities.
While Congress sources in Delhi suggest the move is part of a broader outreach to consolidate OBC votes ahead of key elections, opposition BJP sees it as a strategy to ease Siddaramaiah out of Karnataka and pave the way for his deputy, DK Shivakumar, amid persistent talk of a power-sharing deal. Siddaramaiah had recently asserted that he would complete his full term as CM, even as Shivakumar—though visibly uneasy—reiterated public support.Amid growing pressure from Shivakumar’s loyalists demanding a change in leadership and ongoing whispers of a "50-50" term arrangement between the two leaders, the Congress high command’s next move is being closely watched. Party observer Randeep Singh Surjewala is expected to arrive in Bengaluru to assess the political mood by meeting over 70 MLAs, signaling that a crucial phase in Karnataka’s leadership dynamics may be unfolding.