Testing Leadership

In a moment that briefly pierced the steely façade of British parliamentary politics, Chancellor Rachel Reeves was seen wiping away tears during a tense Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs) session in the House of Commons.

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The Congress party in Karnataka is struggling to keep its house in order. Despite public proclamations of unity and reassurances from senior leadership, the party is being buffeted by growing undercurrents of dissent, factional rivalry, and the slow unravelling of a leadership pact that now appears to be more political myth than a roadmap. At the centre of the unrest is the uneasy cohabitation between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy, D.K. Shivakumar. What began as a power-sharing compromise following the party's electoral victory has evolved into a tug-of-war marked by veiled accusations, open defiance, and increasingly shrill calls for change. The promise that Mr Shivakumar would take over midway through the term has remained conveniently ambiguous, fuelling both his aspirations and the resentment of those loyal to Mr Siddaramaiah. The official line – that there is no discussion of a leadership change – is less a position than a plea for discipline. When party emissaries like Randeep Surjewala appeal to legislators not to "settle scores" in the media, it is clear that the party is fire-fighting, not leading. The metaphor of the Pradesh Congress president as the "head of the family" and the chief minister as the "head of government" only underscores the divided loyalties and blurred lines of authority within the Congress camp. Yet the disorder cannot be attributed solely to personal ambition. MLAs are voicing serious concerns – over unresponsive ministers, inaccessible bureaucracy, and a lack of development funds. These grievances are not imaginary, nor are they limited to one faction. The public airing of dissatisfaction is not merely a leadership crisis; it reflects deeper structural dysfunction in governance and political messaging. The leadership's hesitation has also exposed the limits of