Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah has sought an appointment with governor Thaawarchand Gehlot on Thursday amid intense speculation over a possible change of guard in the state.
Siddaramaiah has also invited his cabinet members, including deputy chief minister and purported claimant to the top post D.K. Shivakumar, for an informal breakfast meeting on Thursday.
According to Congress sources, Siddaramaiah may tender his resignation to the governor, paving the way for his deputy to take over.
Supporters of Shivakumar burst firecrackers and distributed sweets outside his residence at Sadashivanagar in Bengaluru, as well as in Ramanagara, the district headquarters of Bengaluru South.
A Shivakumar supporter described him as a strong and decisive leader, citing his performance in the 2023 Assembly elections.
“In 2023, he challenged the BJP and RSS and delivered a strong performance. He delivered on his pledge to win 130 seats. He has worked very hard for the last three years,” the supporter said.
On Wednesday, Siddaramaiah met his loyalist group of ministers and legislators, a few of whom suggested launching a signature campaign and sending a memorandum to the Congress high command. But Siddaramaiah dismissed the idea.
A Congress source told The Telegraph that the Lok Bhavan had confirmed Siddaramaiah’s appointment with the governor at 3pm on Thursday.
“Siddaramaiah has called the Congress Legislative Party meeting on Friday. The Shivakumar camp is an invigorated lot after close to a year of infighting. The incumbent chief minister is unhappy with the turn of events. He was confident that his Kuruba community’s strength, support from other Dalit organisations and his proximity to Rahul Gandhi would keep him in good stead,” said a Congress source.
The Congress high command had asked Siddaramaiah to step down and move to the Rajya Sabha in a repeat of the trajectory recently followed by former Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar. But Siddaramaiah has declined the proposal and requested a ministerial berth for his son, Yathindra, instead.
The Karnataka State Federation of Backward Class Communities has warned the Congress of consequences if Siddaramaiah is replaced.
Asserting that the Congress came to power because of the support of backward class and AHINDA (Kannada acronym for minorities, backward classes and Dalits) communities, federation leaders said there was no other leader of Siddaramaiah’s stature in the Congress and warned of an agitation if he was made to step down.
“If the reports that Siddaramaiah’s resignation has been sought are true, 70 per cent of the community, which had identified itself with the Congress, will come to zero — we will show it in the days ahead,” Federation president Ramachandrappa said.
AICC general secretary in charge of Karnataka, Randeep Singh Surjewala, arrived in Bengaluru on Wednesday. The Siddaramaiah camp plans to inform him about the support of a majority of MLAs. However, against the backdrop of recent developments in Kerala, the central leadership is likely to endorse Shivakumar for the chief minister’s post.