Rahul Gandhi Wants Siddaramaiah As Congress National OBC Face Ahead Of 2029 Elections | K'taka Cong

Added: 2026-05-31

[00:00:00]Let's take you through some more details of this Delhi trip that they are undertaking and this is on on the focus being on Chief Minister the ex-former Chief Minister now the caretaker Chief Minister of the state of Karnataka Siddaramaiah. [music] The significance of Siddaramaiah's Delhi trip at this given point. Remember the Congress is wary of the dual power center in Karnataka because this episode of Game of Thrones is not something that was decided upon. The fact that the power transition shall take place was not decided upon overnight. This has been in conversation for the last 2 years even before the government could finish 2.5 years.

[00:00:36]This conversation had begun. The whispers had begun within the Karnataka Congress itself and now 2 years later we see the Congress high command finally arriving at a conclusion. Now party fears Siddaramaiah's presence may trouble the D.K. Shivakumar government.

[00:00:51]At the end of the day there is a massive power and more than power one would say support base that Siddaramaiah enjoys even within the party itself. There are leaders, his loyalists who might end up proving to be a hurdle in the D.K. Shivakumar government which might get fueled further if Siddaramaiah is present in the state of Karnataka himself.

[00:01:15]Leadership sees Siddaramaiah as a key national OBC face. So instead what the Congress high command would be wanting is Siddaramaiah rather move to the national capital and slowly establish himself as the national OBC face. He's already [music] an OBC face in Karnataka. He does hold a similar influence in the across southern states as well but it needs to reach out and go beyond the restrictions of the southern states and move upward because of the 2029 election and Rahul Gandhi's campaign of social justice at this given point. Rahul is likely to renew the Rajya Sabha pitch. He might be bringing that up before Siddaramaiah as the the meeting goes on, this is something we're speculating upon. And the deadline for the decision is fast approaching. While DK Shivakumar will be taking oath either on June 1st or 3rd, the deadline for what is next for Siddaramaiah, the decision that needs to be taken by the leader, by the veteran leader that is, is fast approaching.

[00:02:16]The Congress wants Siddaramaiah in a bigger national role. That is indeed very, very clear from all of the series of events that's taken place. Bigger role has been proposed ahead of the 2029 Lok Sabha polls, and the Congress is keen to use Siddaramaiah for the OBC outreach nationally. That is something we have [music] seen at this given point. So, Rahul Gautam joins us back on the broadcast. Rahul, one thing let me let me get your insights on here is Siddaramaiah is an established OBC face in in the state of Karnataka. When we speak of a national Well, when we speak of him establishing himself nationally in the similar role, that would indeed play a big part of the social justice campaign that Rahul Gandhi has launched, but it will also take him time to establish himself as the OBC face nationally, because that connect nationally still doesn't really exist for Siddaramaiah. So, he will have to work that work his way through that to make himself an OBC face nationally at this given point.

[00:03:24]>> Well, Shreya, you know, Rahul Gandhi and Congress party, they both are already being criticized because of the fact that you know, BJP is saying at least that you have removed the sole OBC Chief Minister from the state of Karnataka to make way for a dominant forward community of Karnataka. That's obviously a DK Shivakumar. So, they are already criticizing Rahul Gandhi saying that the all the entire pitch or narrative of social justice was only a hogwash, was only a sham.

[00:03:55]And therefore, you know, party would want Siddaramaiah to take a larger role in party's interest. That would obviously be a Rajya Sabha seat, you know, possibly coming down to coming down to the national capital, staying here, you know, being projected as a big OBC leader, a big ahinda leader. And obviously, as I've been telling you earlier also, if Siddaramaiah is going to stay as an ordinary MLA in in the Bengaluru city, obviously, this would this would show Congress party in a really, really, you know, bad taste or in a very poor light. Therefore, they would not want to send this this signal or this message that Siddaramaiah has been marginalized or has been sidelined given the fact that he is the longest-serving Chief Minister of Karnataka.

[00:04:38]He's He's He's probably one of the last mass leaders of Congress party. And so, therefore, party would not risk, you know, this narrative. And therefore, as we speak, I also tell our viewers that as we speak, not just Siddaramaiah, in fact, K.J. George, who's extremely close to Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and also, you know, to Siddaramaiah, he's also there at 10 Janpath. And in fact, as per our sources, he has been tasked, you know, to ensure a smooth transition of power in the state of Karnataka and now being tasked to convince him for Rajya Sabha seat. So, obviously, you know, we we would know shortly from now that whether Siddaramaiah has agreed for it. But uh party would not risk a narrative where a message would go that Siddaramaiah is being marginalized or being sidelined or he's not being >> That That is That is That is a point that the BJP has raised, the opposition has raised, and that is something that the Congress would really have to work itself around in terms of the narrative they will stick to with regard if indeed Siddaramaiah agrees to take up that role nationally.

[00:05:41]But Rahul, thank you for bringing us those details.