New Delhi: The Congress party faces growing internal challenges in its ruling states of Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh, with factionalism and delayed decision-making by the high command threatening to destabilize its hold. While top leadership has deferred key choices for now, the situation remains volatile behind the scenes.
In Karnataka, tensions are mounting over the 2.5-year power-sharing formula. Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and his camp are pushing for his elevation to the Chief Minister’s post, which has created friction with current CM Siddaramaiah. This has led to intense political maneuvering and speculation about an impending leadership change.
Siddaramaiah, keen on completing his full term and surpassing D. Devaraj Urs’ record, has resisted any move to step down. Sources say the confrontation reached a tipping point during the cabinet expansion, which Shivakumar had opposed. Both leaders were summoned to Delhi, and the Congress high command temporarily diffused the situation—reportedly after Shivakumar reached out to Priyanka Gandhi for intervention.
For now, the status quo is expected to hold at least until the Bihar assembly elections in October-November. If the Congress-RJD alliance fares well in Bihar, the high command could assert more authority in Karnataka. A poor performance, however, may weaken its hand and embolden state factions, making Karnataka harder to manage.
Meanwhile, the BJP is watching closely, with some leaders claiming Congress MLAs are in contact with them. Notably, the BJP has yet to announce a new Karnataka state president— likely waiting to see how the Congress crisis unfolds.
In Himachal Pradesh, the party is also facing deep internal fissures. Factionalism has stalled cabinet expansion, and the entire state unit has been dissolved, leaving only Pratibha Singh as the state president for over a year.
The high command has been unable to appoint a new president or complete the party executive. Sources indicate Rahul Gandhi is keen to give leadership to a Dalit face, but this may risk alienating the influential Virbhadra Singh family, which is already upset over delays in unveiling the former CM’s statue on Shimla’s Mall Road.
The event, initially planned for June 23, was postponed due to unavailability of senior leaders, sparking further discontent.
Pratibha Singh has stated that the unveiling will occur once flood-related disruptions subside. However, the continued neglect is seen as symptomatic of the Congress leadership’s indifference to state affairs—a factor that has already cost the party dearly in several states.
With only three states— Karnataka, Himachal, and Telangana—under Congress rule, the stakes are high. If two of these slip into crisis, the very existence of the party’s national relevance could be at risk.
