By Manjunath K. Shresthi
April 29, 2026
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Congress, the country’s grand old party (GoP) is in power in three states: Himachal Pradesh (HP) in the north, & Karnataka and Telangana in the south. Because of the five guarantees they gave the voters in their manifesto; the party come to power in Karnataka in May 2023, with a massive mandate.
Siddaramaiah was second time lucky and became the Chief Minister again. DK Shivakumar (a.k.a DKShi), the KPCC President was made the Dy. Chief Minister (DCM). In the general elections held in 2024, the Congress party in spite of its five guarantees in place; it was able to get only nine Members of Parliament (MPs) get elected to the 28 Lok Sabha (LS) seats. Since 2009, the party has not been able to cross double digit MPs to the LS, and stuck to sending single digits.
Since 2023, there are two camps of the CM & DCM, their loyalists never miss an opportunity in political one upmanship. There was a buzz in the state in late 2025, that there would be a change of guard after two and a half years.If any promise was made to DKShi, will it be honoured? CM Siddaramaiah has learnt to live with his deputy’s assertive nature in trying to claim the Chief Minister’s post. Siddaramaiah completed 2.5 years as the Chief Minister in November 2025.
DK Shivakumar makes frequent visits to the national capital New Delhi; he has meetings with the party president; the state incharge and the party high command and reminds them about his intention to become the Chief Minister. But the Gandhi family the real high command keeps him guessing, and DK Shivakumar returns empty handed.
Meanwhile Siddaramaiah’s loyalists make statements by taking turns, that the CM will complete his full term. It’s then the turn of Shivakumar’s loyalists, this has become a predictable pattern in the state’s politics since the Congress party came to power in May 2023.
The leadership issue even played out during the crucial assembly polls to the five states in April 2026. The high command is known to have assured that the leadership issue would be resolved, after results are declared on May 04. DCM Shivakumar and his brother DK Suresh, had camped in New Delhi seeking a readdressal to their demands. Will DKShi get a gift on his birthday on May 15?
The Congress party will complete three years, since it came to power in May 2023. Will the high command finally put the leadership issue to rest? And how will CM’s camp react if there’s a leadership change?
