In a major organisational move ahead of the leadership transition in Karnataka, the Congress on Tuesday appointed outgoing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to the Congress Working Committee (CWC), the party's highest decision-making body, signalling the central leadership's intent to retain him at the core of national decision-making even as he steps down from the state's top post.
The appointment comes barely a day before Karnataka Congress chief and Chief Minister-designate D. K. Shivakumar takes oath as the state's new Chief Minister, marking the end of Siddaramaiah's second stint at the helm of the southern state.
A statement issued by the Congress said party president Mallikarjun Kharge had appointed Siddaramaiah as a member of the CWC with immediate effect. The CWC is the Congress's apex policymaking and strategy body, comprising the party's top leadership and senior decision-makers.
The timing of the move has attracted political attention as it comes amid a carefully managed transition in Karnataka, where the Congress high command recently resolved a prolonged leadership arrangement by naming Shivakumar as Siddaramaiah's successor. Party leaders have sought to project the transition as a smooth handover rather than a power struggle.
Political observers view Siddaramaiah's induction into the CWC as an effort by the Congress leadership to ensure that the veteran leader continues to play a prominent role within the party after leaving the chief minister's office. The move is also seen as helping maintain organisational balance in Karnataka, where Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar have emerged as the Congress's two most influential leaders.
The decision followed a series of consultations in New Delhi involving Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah, during which the composition of the new Karnataka Cabinet and the broader transition plan were discussed.
Shivakumar was elected leader of the Congress Legislature Party last week and is scheduled to take oath as Karnataka's Chief Minister on Wednesday. He succeeds Siddaramaiah, who had led the government since the Congress returned to power in the 2023 Assembly elections.
The leadership change marks a major political milestone for Shivakumar, who played a key role in rebuilding the Congress organisation in Karnataka and was widely credited with helping the party secure a decisive victory in the 2023 Assembly polls.
For Siddaramaiah, the move to the CWC ensures that despite stepping away from the state's executive leadership, he remains firmly embedded in the Congress's national power structure at a time when the party is preparing for a series of electoral battles across the country.
