Mallikarjun Kharge – Rahul Gandhi Meeting: G. Parameshwara name now front in CM race

Mallikarjun Kharge – Rahul Gandhi Meeting: The issue of a potential Chief Minister change in Karnataka is currently a major point of discussion within the Congress party. AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge will meet Rahul Gandhi today: G. Parameshwara name now front in CM race.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has publicly stated that he will call a meeting of senior leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, and Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar (DKS) in New Delhi to discuss and resolve the ongoing leadership issue.

Kharge’s stated intention is to discuss the way forward, settle the matter, and “put an end to the confusion.” The meeting will involve Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, CM Siddaramaiah, and Deputy CM Shivakumar.

While the exact date is not strictly “today,” Kharge confirmed that he would call this meeting soon after returning to Delhi. Reports suggest the CM and Dy CM might be summoned to Delhi as early as Friday or Saturday.

The current tension escalated after the Congress government completed the first half of its five-year term on November 20. The conflict stems from an alleged “power-sharing” agreement made in May 2023, where D.K. Shivakumar reportedly agreed to be Deputy CM with the understanding that he would take over as CM for the remaining 2.5 years of the term.

Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar has publicly acknowledged that a “secret deal” was made among a few top leaders. His loyalist MLAs have been visiting Delhi to pressure the High Command to honour this purported agreement.

CM Siddaramaiah initially dismissed the talk, saying he would remain CM for the full five years. However, he has recently softened his stance, now saying he will abide by the decision of the Congress High Command (the central leadership).

Essentially, the Congress High Command, led by Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, is now under pressure to officially address and resolve the leadership dispute.

Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara has recently and publicly reaffirmed his long-standing position that he is still a contender for the Chief Minister’s post. He stated, “I will always be in the race for CM.”

He often recalls his time as the President of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) in 2013, when the party won a majority. He lost his own election that year, which many believe cost him the top post then.

Home Minister G. Parameshwara name now front in CM race:

There is a long-standing demand within the Congress party and from various Dalit organisations for a Dalit leader to be made Chief Minister of Karnataka. Being a prominent and powerful Dalit leader in the state, his name naturally comes up to fulfill this aspiration, especially amid the current political vacuum created by the rivalry between Siddaramaiah and D.K. Shivakumar.

Other influential ministers like Satish Jarkiholi have publicly backed him, emphasizing that Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and minorities form the biggest vote bank for the Congress in Karnataka, giving weight to the demand for a Dalit CM.

The primary leadership tussle is between the incumbent CM Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar (DKS).

The Congress High Command (Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi) is keen to resolve the conflict before it damages the party’s image ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

If the High Command is unable to settle the feud by picking either Siddaramaiah or DKS without causing a significant split, Parameshwara could emerge as a powerful compromise or ‘consensus’ candidate. A senior Congress MLA even referred to him as the “second option” if Siddaramaiah were to be asked to step down.

Also Read: Karnataka CM Change Climax: Mallikarjun Kharge made big statement