The Congress party high command is wary of making any sudden changes to the state unit’s structure, a senior functionary told Hindustan Times on Friday, as deliberations continue on a possible change in the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee’s (KPCC) leadership as well as the issue of four legislative council nominations.
Deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar, who also serves as KPCC president, acknowledged that deliberations are still in progress regarding the council appointments. “Already two rounds of discussions have been held on the selection of council candidates. Further discussions are required,” he said, adding that the Congress leadership in Delhi would evaluate the proposals before making a final call.
While Shivakumar has publicly maintained that he will abide by the party’s decision, questions persist about whether the Congress can find a successor with equal clout. “I will do what the party says. I have done a lot of work in the past five years. Whatever is good for the party, let it happen. The party is more important than an individual,” he said.
At the same time, quiet lobbying continues within the ruling party’s top ranks over the KPCC presidency. A group of senior ministers, including KN Rajanna, MB Patil, and Satish Jarkiholi, are in Delhi, reportedly urging the central leadership to reconsider Shivakumar’s continuation in the role.
“Top leaders in Delhi are wary of making any risky moves right now. With the Congress holding power in only a handful of states, Karnataka stands out as both a political asset and a governance model — primarily due to its welfare initiatives. Any disruption in the current setup could be misread and potentially derail gains made elsewhere,” a senior functionary explained.
Their contention is that Shivakumar while handling the demanding responsibilities of Deputy Chief Minister, may not be able to devote sufficient attention to the critical upcoming local body and BBMP elections, said leaders.
Some within the party have floated the name of former KPCC chief Dinesh Gundu Rao, reportedly with the backing of the Siddaramaiah camp. However, no formal move has been made in this direction.
PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi on Friday confirmed that both his name and that of Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre had been mentioned as possible contenders for the KPCC post. But he clarified that he had not been approached by the high command.
“I don’t know who has said my name to the high command. I have seen media reports that minister Eshwar Khandre and my name are before them. I will discuss with the CM once he is back and will try to know what happened,” Jarkiholi told reporters. He further added, “I have not asked the high command for it (President post). Whenever they discuss with me, I will share my opinion with the high command.”
Jarkiholi said there was no clarity yet on whether the leadership change was imminent and added that things may become clearer after chief minister Siddaramaiah, who is currently in Delhi, returns. Siddaramaiah met Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leader Rahul Gandhi during his visit, but the content of these discussions remains undisclosed.
Despite the undercurrents, party insiders suggest that Shivakumar is likely to retain his role — at least for now. “It looks like Shivakumar will continue heading the KPCC, at least for the foreseeable future,” the senior leader noted.