Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is consulting his loyalists in Bengaluru after crucial Delhi talks on possible leadership change.

New Delhi: After over six hours of intense discussions with the Congress leadership, including Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, KC Venugopal in Delhi, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is scheduled to meet his loyal ministers and MLAs in Bengaluru on Wednesday, escalating fresh speculation over leadership change in Karnataka.The Congress high command is understood to have proposed a negotiated transition plan under which Siddaramaiah could be catapulted into national politics as a Rajya Sabha member and in a bigger organizational role. The deliberations followed marathon meetings of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, KC Venugopal and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Surjewala on Tuesday with Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar amid growing talk of a possible cabinet reshuffle.While the Congress officially denied that leadership change was discussed, party insiders indicated that the issue dominated the deliberations as the high command sought a formula that would ensure a smooth transition without creating factional unrest.Siddaramaiah is understood to have told the leadership that he has no ambitions in national politics, but Rahul is said to have stressed that the Congress wanted his experience and OBC reach at the national level. Sources said Siddaramaiah sought time to consult his loyalists before taking a final decision.Sources said that during the one-on-one meeting, Rahul Gandhi asked the experienced leader to consider taking responsibilities at the national level and to respond within a week.The latest development is being seen as a big boost for Shivakumar, who has consistently said that a rotational chief minister system was discussed when the Congress formed the government after its victory in the 2023 assembly elections. Shivakumar’s supporters argue that depriving him of the top post following his role in rebuilding the party organization could damage the morale of the Congress’s Vokkaliga support base and cadre.Also, given his strong influence among backward classes, minorities and Dalits through the Ahinda social alliance and government guarantee schemes, Congress leaders are wary of destabilizing the Siddaramaiah camp.Party insiders said the leadership is keen to avoid a Rajasthan-like factional crisis and hence is insisting on a consensus-based change in leadership rather than confrontation.The uncertainty has left ministers and cabinet contenders in a dilemma, with many MLAs lobbying for a cabinet reshuffle along with the leadership issue. There are currently three cabinet posts vacant in the Congress, and leaders from both camps are closely watching the next round of consultations for clues on the final decision of the high command.