Pro-Shivakumar chants greet Venugopal as CM supporters hit back with “full-term Siddu”

The continuing churn within the Karnataka Congress over leadership and succession came into sharp focus on Wednesday when AICC general secretary K C Venugopal was greeted with pro-Shivakumar slogans at the Mangaluru airport, prompting supporters of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to later raise counter-slogans asserting his claim to a full five-year term.

The incident unfolded a day after back-to-back breakfast meetings between Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar, held at the behest of the Congress high command to project unity amid heightened speculation over a possible power-sharing arrangement. The meetings, hosted first by the Chief Minister on November 29 and then reciprocated by Shivakumar on Tuesday, were intended to send a clear message that the two senior leaders were working together, “like brothers,” and would abide by the party’s decisions.

Venugopal was in the city to attend the centenary commemoration of the Narayana Guru–Mahatma Gandhi dialogue, an event attended by Siddaramaiah, cabinet ministers and senior party leaders. Shivakumar, however, was not invited, according to sources close to him. As Venugopal stepped out of the airport, workers aligned with Shivakumar raised slogans in his support, reflecting the deputy CM’s deep organisational influence at the grassroots. Later, when Siddaramaiah arrived, his supporters responded with chants of “Siddu, Siddu, Poornaavadhi Siddu,” signalling their demand that he complete his full term till 2028.

Mithun Rai, a prominent leader of the pro-Shivakumar camp, downplayed talk of factionalism, claiming there were no rival groups but conceding that many party workers “would naturally be happy to see D K Shivakumar as Chief Minister.” He described the slogans as a spontaneous expression of affection for the deputy CM.

The leadership-change debate has gained momentum since November, when the Congress government completed 2.5 years seen by many as a marker for a possible rotational arrangement. A rumoured 2023 understanding that Siddaramaiah would hold the post for the first half of the term and Shivakumar for the second continues to circulate, though the party has never confirmed it.

The Mangaluru episode, however, underscores more than just speculation. It reveals the enduring factional strength at the grassroots, particularly Shivakumar’s organisational hold, and a visible counter-assertion by Siddaramaiah’s supporters. Political observers note that such displays, while not immediately destabilising, have implications for leadership stability, governance continuity and internal morale, placing greater pressure on the high command to maintain balance and cohesion within the state unit.