'Rests With CM': Karnataka Congress Rift Grows As Shivakumar Dodges MLA Discipline Question

Last Updated:March 19, 2026, 09:32 IST

"CM Siddaramaiah has a bigger responsibility of ensuring discipline among MLAs who are part of the Congress Legislature Party, more than me," DK Shivakumar said.

The internal power struggle within the Karnataka Congress has intensified as Deputy Chief Minister and KPCC President DK Shivakumar made a pointed statement regarding the conduct of party legislators. Amid a surge in “dinner meetings" organised by various factions of MLAs seeking Cabinet berths, Shivakumar clarified that the primary responsibility for maintaining order within the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) lies with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

“The responsibility to manage legislators rests with the CM as he is the Legislative Party Leader," Shivakumar stated, effectively distancing the party’s organisational wing from the recent wave of internal lobbying. The Deputy Chief Minister further emphasised the hierarchy of authority within the government, noting that “Chief Minister controls the MLAs. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has a bigger responsibility of ensuring discipline among MLAs who are part of the Congress Legislature Party, more than me."

The remarks come at a time of visible unrest among both first-time and senior legislators. On Tuesday night, approximately 45 first- and second-time MLAs gathered at a luxury hotel in Bengaluru to coordinate a demand for representation in the Cabinet. These junior legislators have reportedly planned a visit to New Delhi soon to present their grievances to the party’s high command. Simultaneously, a separate group of senior MLAs, including Bengaluru Development Authority (BDA) Chairperson NA Haris, met with the Chief Minister to press for their own inclusion in a potential Cabinet reshuffle.

This flurry of private meetings has highlighted a deepening divide between those loyal to the Chief Minister and those seeking a change in leadership or greater power-sharing. While Shivakumar has publicly maintained a stance of patience, his recent comments suggest a strategic shift, placing the burden of containing the “dinner diplomacy" squarely on Siddaramaiah’s shoulders. Political observers suggest that these developments indicate a breakdown in the unified front the party has attempted to project ahead of the 2028 Assembly elections.

The situation remains fluid as both the senior and junior factions of the party prepare to take their demands to the national leadership in the coming weeks. After the ongoing budget session of the Karnataka Assembly, pressure for a Cabinet rejig is expected to grow, further testing the discipline that Shivakumar insists is the Chief Minister’s duty to uphold.

News politics 'Rests With CM': Karnataka Congress Rift Grows As Shivakumar Dodges MLA Discipline Question

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