Congress infighting in Karnataka is set to escalate further as Channagiri MLA and Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar loyalist Basavaraj V. Shivaganga dismissed Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s son and Congress MLC Yathindra Siddaramaiah’s remarks on the leadership matter. This development is expected to heighten tensions between the Shivakumar and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah factions.
Yathindra Siddaramaiah had previously mentioned that efforts to change the Chief Minister had been ignored by the party high command and that his father would complete his full term. In response, Basavaraj emphasized the significance of his statements, citing his role as an MLA with a vote in selecting the Chief Ministerial candidate, unlike Yathindra Siddaramaiah, who is an MLC without such voting rights.
Basavaraj criticized Yathindra Siddaramaiah for repeatedly asserting that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah would serve a full term. He called for clarification from the party high command, including figures like Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, and Priyanka Gandhi, on any power-sharing agreements. The ongoing dispute over leadership has led to public statements that Basavaraj claimed were detrimental to the party.
Referring to the leadership issue, Shivaganga stressed the importance of his statements, highlighting his voting role compared to Yathindra Siddaramaiah. He alleged that an agreement had been made for power-sharing over two-and-a-half years, with Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar reportedly backed by 139 MLAs, including young legislators willing to support him unequivocally.
