This Karnataka Congress story has taken one big turn now . On April 28, 2026,Chief Minister Siddaramaiah submitted his resignation,and honestly,this was not sudden shock for people who were watching party drama from 2023 only .
And now focus is clearly on D. K. Shivakumar,the Deputy Chief Minister and state party President . He has been seen as committed,active and waiting for his chance for long time,while Congress high command is hoping this change will bring some stability inside party .
But roots of this fight go back to 2023 Karnataka Assembly elections . During campaign,Rahul Gandhi had said candidate with majority support in Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting would get Chief Minister position . That one line itself later became centre of so much pressure .
Shivakumar worked hard to rally Vokkaliga vote bank and projected himself as possible Chief Ministerial face . Siddaramaiah,on other side,had strong backing from AHINDA community . Together,that combination helped Congress win 136 Assembly seats,but after victory,real fight started.
Few things stand out clearly here:
- After results on May 13, 2023,lobbying began between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar camps for Chief Minister's post .
- On May 20,2023,Siddaramaiah was sworn in as CM while Shivakumar accepted Deputy CM position with key portfolios .
- By November 2024,demands for leadership change grew louder,including calls for a Dalit leader to become Chief Minister .
And tbh,this is where internal tension stopped looking like normal party adjustment and started looking like full faction fight . Both sides had their own supporters,their own calculations and their own sense of being promised something.
By February 2025,K.N. Rajanna,a close ally of Siddaramaiah,showed interest in becoming state party chief . That move reportedly worried Shivakumar's supporters badly . Then Rajanna's controversial statements in Karnataka Assembly about possible honey-trap operations involving politicians made whole issue even more messy,with accusations and demand for investigations.
Congress high command stepped in many times through 2025,but peace clearly did not last . By April 2026,pressure again increased before Shivakumar's upcoming birthday,and predictions about leadership change started moving around openly .
And now with Siddaramaiah resigning on April 28, 2026,it feels like one chapter is closing but not without leftover bitterness . Shivakumar may be preparing to take Chief Minister role,but question is whether Congress can really calm these factions down… or if next round has just started…
