Congress Camp Heads Overseas

Congress MLAs’ overseas tour fuels fresh speculation over Karnataka leadership tussle

February 17, 2026: A proposed overseas trip by nearly two dozen Congress legislators has stirred fresh political chatter in Karnataka, where Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D. K. Shivakumar are widely perceived to be navigating a delicate power-sharing balance. Around 27 MLAs and MLCs are reportedly set to travel to Australia and New Zealand, with plans to return by March 1. What was initially described as a “family visit” by 17 legislators seeking no-objection certificates from the Assembly secretariat has since snowballed into a political flashpoint, especially amid murmurs of a possible leadership transition in the state.

The timing of the trip has drawn attention within party circles, coinciding with reported efforts by Shivakumar to convene a Congress Legislature Party meeting later this month. Supporters of Siddaramaiah view the foreign visit as a subtle show of strength, suggesting that a sizeable bloc of lawmakers remains in his camp. The optics of legislators travelling together have deepened perceptions of factional positioning, even as those involved maintain the visit is purely personal and unrelated to state politics.

The controversy intensified after the tour was initially framed as a “study visit” on animal husbandry practices. Animal Husbandry Minister K Venkatesh later stepped back following criticism over funding and relevance, while the Opposition termed it a taxpayer-funded junket. The Congress leadership, including senior leader Randeep Surjewala, is said to have advised legislators to reconsider their plans. Though the party insists travellers will bear their own expenses, the episode has once again spotlighted internal dynamics within the ruling Congress government.