'Siddaramaiah's Political Career Is Coming to an End': Son Yathindra Names Potential Successor

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's son and Congress MLC, Yathindra Siddaramaiah, caused a stir on Wednesday by claiming that his father was nearing the end of his political career and that a leader capable of guiding and leading was required. He added that he hoped Satish Jarkiholi, a senior Congress leader, will assume the job and serve as a leader who embodies progressive intellectual and ideological ideals.

"Siddaramaiah's political career is coming to an end. At a meeting in Belagavi, Yathindra stated, "A leader is needed at this time to guide and lead those who have progressive thinking, ideologically." "Having leaders that are dedicated to their beliefs is challenging, but Jarkiholi is performing his job with dedication. "He ought to keep doing that," he added. 

Rumours of Leadership Change Intensify

The remarks made by Yathindra Siddaramaiah quickly sparked rumors that the Karnataka Chief Minister's Office was going to undergo a transformation. Speculation over a change in leadership has increased as Siddaramaiah nears the midway point of his five-year tenure in November. Therefore, the Siddaramaiah camp interpreted Yathindra's comments as an effort to portray Jarkiholi, a powerful Scheduled Tribe leader, as the chief ministerial face in the event of a leadership change.

Support for DK Shivakumar

Numerous Congress MLAs have often expressed their public support for Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, pointing to his crucial contribution to the party's triumph in the 2023 elections. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has consistently stated that he intends to serve out his whole five-year tenure.

Later in the day, as the controversy around his comments intensified, Yathindra informed reporters that the topic of a change in leadership had not been discussed. Randeep Singh Surjewala, the Congress's Karnataka in-charge, also explained, saying, "The rest is conjecture." 

"You (media) ask him (Yathindra) about what he has said," DK Shivakumar, who is seen as the leading candidate for the position of Chief Minister in the event of a change, responded when asked about Yathindra Siddaramaiah's remarks. If you ask me, I have nothing to say.

Siddaramaiah Emphasises Lawmakers’ Support

In response to Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar's prior statements that the high command's opinion alone is sufficient, Siddaramaiah emphasized in early October the significance of both lawmakers' support and the Congress high command's approval in leadership decisions.

Many people think that a significant percentage of Congress MLAs still back Siddaramaiah. This support is noteworthy, according to party insiders, because some of his supporters have long argued that the high command must first listen to lawmakers' views before contemplating a leadership transition.

The Congress high command has been consistent in its opposition to public speculation about leadership transitions in spite of these internal deliberations. Senior Congress politician Randeep Singh Surjewala denied escalating rumours of a power-sharing arrangement between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, which were causing splits to form inside the party's Karnataka unit.

Yathindra Clarifies Remarks

Responding to the controversy, Yathindra Siddaramaiah, Congress MLC and son of CM Siddaramaiah, said:

"My statement was not about changing the Chief Minister. Because Siddaramaiah sir said that after 2028, he will not contest elections, I only said that after him, someone who believes strongly in Congress ideology, which is social justice, secular ideology, should be able to lead the Congress party. That's all I have said."

This clarification came after his earlier remarks reportedly suggested a leadership transition and highlighted Satish Jarkiholi as a potential successor.