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Karnataka CM, KPPC president: The buzz over a possible leadership shake-up has brought to fore the Congress’s internal power dynamics
Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah and deputy CM and KPCC president DK Shivakumar. (PTI File)
With All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala visiting Bengaluru to take stock of the Karnataka Congress government and address concerns over internal discontent, two key questions have resurfaced — Will the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president be changed? Will there be a decision on a possible change of guard at the chief ministerial level?
The buzz over a possible leadership shake-up has once again brought to the fore the Congress’s internal power dynamics—an issue that could shape the party’s direction well ahead of the 2028 assembly elections.
AICC leaders, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal, and Karnataka in-charge Surjewala, are learnt to have delivered a stern message to the state leadership over allegations of maladministration and lack of coordination.
Concerns included the mishandling of the Chinnaswamy Stadium stampede incident, allegations of corruption in MUDA and the Valmiki Development Corporation, and controversies around housing allotments. These issues, sources say, were flagged as the ones the state must address promptly before they spiral into full-blown controversies in the media.
Amid this, several Congress leaders have publicly pitched for changing the KPCC president —a post currently held by Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar—as well as a possible leadership transition at the top, with murmurs of replacing Siddaramaiah before the end of his term.
“Not being able to control some ministers and the allegations of maladministration have hurt the party at this point,” said a KPCC leader on condition of anonymity.
Who may get KPCC president post? Two contenders are…
As for the KPCC post, two names are doing the rounds — Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre, a prominent Lingayat leader, and PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi, an AHINDA leader belonging to the ST community. Shivakumar, who hails from the Vokkaliga community, has held the dual roles of KPCC president and Deputy CM since 2020.
Caste representation has once again emerged as a central consideration in discussions around the KPCC leadership. While the Congress has had Lingayat, Vokkaliga, and the longest-serving Dalit KPCC president in Dr. G. Parameshwara, it has never appointed an ST leader to the post.
Jarkiholi, who has made no secret of his desire to lead the party into the 2028 Assembly polls, reportedly discussed his vision for the party with top AICC leaders. In January, he held a closed-door meeting with Surjewala, where he argued for the need to appoint a full-time KPCC president to strengthen the organisation. He is said to have urged the AICC to either replace the incumbent or publicly confirm that Shivakumar will continue.
The debate gained fresh momentum after Cooperation Minister KN Rajanna stated on June 28 that Jarkiholi would soon take over as KPCC president. His statement came just days after a key meeting in Delhi where Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Jarkiholi, and cabinet ministers HC Mahadevappa and KJ George met Kharge to brief them about the political developments in Karnataka.
However, Jarkiholi later downplayed Rajanna’s remark, even as party sources confirmed that any decision would rest solely with the high command.
A senior leader told News18 that a note from AICC General Secretary (Organisation) K.C. Venugopal, discussed earlier this year, had mentioned that the KPCC post would be reconsidered after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. But so far, no movement has taken place.
Shivakumar had earlier reacted strongly when Jarkiholi made his ambitions public in January. “Can anyone get a post through the media? You can’t get it from the media or a shop. It is given as a reward for the work we do,” he had said.
Party insiders admit that the internal tussle over the KPCC leadership is creating confusion among the cadre, with multiple ministers making conflicting statements. “There’s a lot of groups, and loose talk about both the KPCC post and the CM post. It’s putting the workers in a tough spot, forcing them to take sides,” said a senior Congress MLA who did not wish to be named.
Jarkiholi is said to have the support of around 50 MLAs, particularly from AHINDA communities, backing his elevation. He is viewed as a mass leader, second only to Siddaramaiah within the social justice bloc. “We need a full-time KPCC chief who can beat the BJP at its own game and lead the party to another term. It’s not just about caste—organisational strength and public connect are equally important,” said a KPCC office-bearer.
Sources confirmed that during his meeting with Surjewala, Jarkiholi also suggested that the opinion of all 140 Congress MLAs in the state should be considered before finalising the KPCC leadership. He is said to have reiterated that either a new president should be appointed or a clear announcement should be made on the continuation of the present president.
Rohini Swamy, Associate Editor at News18, has been a journalist for nearly two decades in the television and digital space. She covers south India for News18’s digital platform. She has previously worked with t…Read More
Rohini Swamy, Associate Editor at News18, has been a journalist for nearly two decades in the television and digital space. She covers south India for News18’s digital platform. She has previously worked with t… Read More
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