100 Karnataka Congress MLAs want change in leadership, claims DK Shivakumar loyalist

Congress MLA Iqbal Hussain, a known supporter of Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, said that a majority of legislators now want Siddaramaiah to step down.

A simmering leadership tussle within the Karnataka Congress has reignited, with claims emerging that over 100 party legislators favour a change at the top, NDTV reported.

The MLA's remarks have added fuel to long-simmering tensions over the Chief Minister’s post. (X/PTI)

The statement comes just hours before senior Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala's visit to Bengaluru for closed-door meetings with party MLAs.

Congress MLA Iqbal Hussain, a known supporter of Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, told NDTV that a majority of legislators now want Siddaramaiah to step down, making way for Shivakumar to take over as Chief Minister.

“More than 100 MLAs are in favour of a change,” Hussain said according to the publication, asserting that many in the party believe Mr Shivakumar’s leadership is essential if the Congress hopes to retain power in the 2028 assembly polls.

Hussain credited Shivakumar for the party’s strong performance in the 2023 elections, citing his efforts as Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) chief.

His remarks have added fuel to long-simmering tensions over the Chief Minister’s post, an issue that has lingered since the Congress’s sweeping victory in last year’s elections.

At that time, Shivakumar was a frontrunner for the role, but the party high command eventually chose Siddaramaiah while offering Shivakumar the Deputy Chief Minister post and the reins of the state unit.

In response to the fresh push for a change, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge reiterated that the final decision rests with the high command. Hussain, while acknowledging Kharge’s authority, maintained that party workers and MLAs must speak up about “ground realities.”

Meanwhile, Surjewala has downplayed speculation about a leadership shake-up. He told the media that his visit is focused purely on internal assessments and strengthening the party’s governance in the state. Any rumours of a change, he said, were "figments of imagination."

‘Solid as a rock’

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has also brushed aside the buzz. While speaking to reporters in Mysuru, he declared that the Congress government will remain "as solid as a rock" for the full five-year term.

Standing beside Shivakumar, he said the two leaders continue to enjoy a strong working relationship. “We are on good terms,” Siddaramaiah said, even holding Shivakumar’s hand in a show of unity. “We don’t listen to outside noise.”