Congress leaders gathered at Siddaramaiah’s Bengaluru residence as fresh political signals, supporter celebrations and MLA remarks reignited Karnataka leadership change speculation.
Deputy CM DK Shivakumar meets Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at the latter’s Bengaluru residence on Thursday as political speculation over a possible leadership transition intensifies in Karnataka Congress. | CMO Karnataka
Bengaluru woke up to a fresh round of political suspense on Thursday as Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar reached Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s official residence for a closed-door breakfast meeting that has once again triggered speculation over a possible leadership transition in Karnataka.
Visuals from the meeting added to the political intrigue. Shivakumar was seen hugging Siddaramaiah at the CM’s residence ‘Kaveri’ in Bengaluru and also touching his feet before the discussions began. Several senior Congress ministers, including MB Patil, Priyank Kharge, Ramalinga Reddy, KJ George, and HK Patil, also arrived at the venue amid heightened security arrangements.
Advertisement
Advertisement
The meeting comes at a time when the Congress leadership is facing renewed questions over Karnataka’s power-sharing arrangement. Speculation around Shivakumar’s elevation has resurfaced repeatedly since the Siddaramaiah-led government crossed the halfway mark of its term, though the party has consistently denied any formal transition plan.
Outside Shivakumar’s residence, supporters distributed sweets and raised slogans backing him for the top post. Large posters of the Karnataka Congress chief also appeared in parts of Bengaluru, including at Mekhri Circle, as supporters celebrated what they described as an imminent political shift.
“This is a very important day for us. DK Shivakumar has become the designated Chief Minister. For that, we are celebrating,” one supporter told ANI, while praising Shivakumar’s contribution to the Congress party.
#WATCH | Bengaluru: A DK Shivakumar supporter says, “This is a very important day for us. DK Shivakumar has become the designated Chief Minister. For that, we are celebrating. It is going to happen by the grace of God. He has worked for the party for several years now. He has… pic.twitter.com/h2NtnIXTXo
— ANI (@ANI) May 28, 2026
The buzz gained further momentum after Congress MLA Ashok M Pattan claimed Siddaramaiah could resign after 3 pm on Thursday and said the Chief Minister had already sought an appointment with the Governor.
“We went to the CM’s house. I think CM may give his resignation tomorrow after 3 PM. He has already taken an appointment with the Governor. About the next CM, the high command will decide,” Pattan told ANI.
He added, “Most probably, DK Shivakumar will be the CM. Whatever the high command tells, they will obey.”
Even as rumours intensified, the Congress officially maintained that discussions held with the party’s central leadership were focused only on the upcoming Rajya Sabha and Karnataka Legislative Council elections.
Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy CM DK Shivakumar, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala had attended the meeting in Delhi earlier this week.
“The entire discussion was concentrated only on the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections and Council Elections of Karnataka,” Venugopal said while dismissing reports of a leadership change as speculation.
Siddaramaiah himself had said on Wednesday that issues discussed with the Congress high command would be addressed later, without elaborating further.
Meanwhile, Karnataka Minister G Parameshwara added to the uncertainty with cryptic remarks outside the CM’s residence.
“The Chief Minister has called all the ministers for breakfast, and before he resigns, he wants to thank all the ministers for their cooperation,” Parameshwara said, before adding that the decision ultimately rests with the party high command.
#WATCH | Bengaluru | Karnataka Minister G. Parameshwara says, “The Chief Minister has called all the ministers for breakfast and before he resigns, he wants to thank all the ministers for their cooperation…I am not aware whether he (Siddaramaiah) was offered a position in… pic.twitter.com/iscBUqVHke
— ANI (@ANI) May 28, 2026
When asked about possible political repercussions if Siddaramaiah steps down, the senior Congress leader simply said, “Just wait and see.”
#WATCH | Bengaluru | When asked about the possible repercussions on the ground if Siddaramaiah is asked to step down as the CM, Karnataka Minister G. Parameshwara says, “Just wait and see” pic.twitter.com/acn31dTqqZ
— ANI (@ANI) May 28, 2026
Congress MLA Basavaraj Rayareddy also avoided giving a direct answer while arriving for the breakfast meeting.
“Whatever the party decides, we will follow it,” he said.
For now, the Congress continues to publicly deny any leadership change in Karnataka. But the optics in Bengaluru, coupled with back-to-back meetings involving top leaders in Delhi, have only deepened the suspense around the state’s political future. ANI
The Siddaramaiah versus Shivakumar debate has remained a recurring theme within the Karnataka Congress ever since the party returned to power in 2023. Reports of a rotational chief minister formula have surfaced multiple times over the past three years, though no official confirmation has ever come from the Congress leadership.
The latest round of speculation has now gained traction after the government completed three years in office and senior party leaders held consultations with the central leadership in Delhi earlier this week.
Advertisement
