Karnataka Leadership Change Buzz & Congress’s Subtle Art Of Not Holding On To States Decoded

Last Updated:July 01, 2025, 17:06 IST

Randeep Surjewala, Congress’s state in-charge, made it clear that there was no discussion on leadership change

CM Siddaramaiah and deputy CM DK Shivakumar (right) camps are hoping for change. (PTI)

Has the Congress learnt from the Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh examples where dissent led to eventual erosion of the party? It’s trying to, but meeting with little success in Karnataka.

First came Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge’s statement that the party high command would decide on any change. This kept the guessing game going, with the hopes of a change of guard in the two camps in Karnataka, that of CM Siddaramaiah and deputy CM DK Shivakumar.

Then, Randeep Surjewala, Congress’s state in-charge, made it clear that there was no discussion on leadership change. He also ordered that no one should make any comments on the change of CM. But not many are willing to listen.

Sources in the central Congress leadership say that the Congress does not want to bell the cat immediately.

In Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, the Congress was caught in a dilemma and in the end, the Congress high command’s attempt to bridge the gap came a little bit too late. In the Ashok Gehlot versus Sachin Pilot battle, the Congress leadership tilted towards Gehlot, in which Pilot was sacked from the post of PCC chief and deputy CM. Despite attempts to placate and make Pilot comfortable, things were never smooth. As a result we have a situation in the state where the Congress is staring at near wipeout and being not ready for the state polls which are a couple of years away. The party has yet to figure out if there needs to be a change of profile in the state.

Take the case of Chhattisgarh. Despite the fact that Rahul Gandhi had indicated that it would be rotation between Bhupesh Baghel and T.S. Deo, it never happened. Baghel had good connection in Delhi and stayed on. Today, a beleaguered Baghel is facing probe in the Mahadev app case, while the Congress is floundering in the state.

Is the Congress indulging in self-goal? Is the dragging of feet leading to wipeout of party in the states where it has been in power? Bengal, Odisha, MP, Andhra Pradesh…the list is long.

Will Karnataka be the new addition to it?

Pallavi Ghosh

Pallavi Ghosh has covered politics and Parliament for 15 years, and has reported extensively on Congress, UPA-I and UPA-II, and has now included the Finance Ministry and Niti Aayog in her reportage. She has als...Read More

Pallavi Ghosh has covered politics and Parliament for 15 years, and has reported extensively on Congress, UPA-I and UPA-II, and has now included the Finance Ministry and Niti Aayog in her reportage. She has als...

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News politics Karnataka Leadership Change Buzz & Congress’s Subtle Art Of Not Holding On To States Decoded