Karnataka Congress Crisis: Siddaramaiah's Snub To Shivakumar — Dy CM Left Out Of Key Meeting

The efforts by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to strengthen party unity have instead exposed deeper rifts within the state Congress intensifying the ongoing power tussle between him and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar. A series of meetings that began on Tuesday, intended to address MLAs’ concerns and distribute Rs 50 crore in development grants turned contentious as rival factions within the party publicly clashed—even in the Chief Minister’s presence.

Although Shivakumar, who also holds the posts of Bengaluru Development Minister and KPCC President, was not formally invited, he made a brief appearance at one of the sessions and held a private conversation with Siddaramaiah, reported Times of India. The two reportedly discussed preparations for Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s protest scheduled for August 4 in Bengaluru.

Siddaramaiah Urges For Unity

Speaking after the meeting, Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara stressed the need for better coordination among legislators, highlighting the fragile cohesion within the party. The divide became more apparent when Kunigal MLA Dr Ranganath, a relative of Shivakumar, voiced concerns during the discussions, as per a report on The New Indian Express. Siddaramaiah responded by urging unity and promised that development grants would be allocated fairly across constituencies.

The meetings at Vidhana Soudha follow a recent internal review led by AICC General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala, who met over 100 party MLAs and ministers to evaluate governance and intra-party equations. According to the Chief Minister’s Office, the focus was on monitoring developmental schemes, budget implementation, agriculture funding, and project timelines.

Shivakumar’s limited role in the discussions fueled speculation about a widening leadership gap. However, he later dismissed such talk, stating that it was within the Chief Minister’s rights to hold such deliberations.

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