Jarkiholi backs Shivakumar for Karnataka chief minister after 2028 polls

Jarkiholi has expressed support for D.K. Shivakumar becoming Karnataka chief minister after the 2028 elections, according to The Hindu. He said Shivakumar was young and would wait his turn.

The remarks signal Jarkiholi’s backing for Shivakumar’s future leadership bid, although the supplied material does not identify the precise position Jarkiholi holds or the setting in which he spoke. The comments assume significance against the backdrop of what The Hindu describes as Jarkiholi’s growing proximity to Shivakumar. That relationship has developed following a recent Enforcement Directorate development, though the available material does not provide details of the matter.

Jarkiholi’s statement refers specifically to the period after the 2028 polls. It does not say whether he was commenting on an agreement within the party, expressing a personal preference or addressing an existing leadership dispute. The report does not include Shivakumar’s response or statements from other Karnataka leaders.

It also does not provide details of the electoral circumstances that could determine the chief minister’s position after the next Assembly elections. The available account records Jarkiholi’s endorsement and his description of Shivakumar as someone who can wait for the opportunity. It does not establish whether the backing has any formal political consequence.