In a dramatic turnaround that has delivered a significant boost to the Congress party, veteran leader and rebel independent candidate Sadhik Pailwan has agreed to extend support to the official Congress nominee in the high-voltage Davangere South Assembly by-election.

The development comes as a major relief for the ruling party, which had been grappling with internal rebellion over its choice of candidate.

Pailwan, who filed his nomination as an independent after being denied a party ticket, met Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at Kaveri Niwas (Cauvery Niwas) on Friday.

Accompanied by Congress MLA Rizwan Arshad and a group of supporters, Pailwan held closed-door discussions with the Chief Minister for nearly an hour.

According to party sources, Siddaramaiah personally persuaded Pailwan, who ultimately gave his assent to back the Congress candidate, Samarth Shamanur Mallikarjun, with certain conditions.

Congress leaders have described the outcome as a “jackpot” for the party, effectively neutralising the threat of a split in minority (particularly Muslim) votes that could have complicated the contest.

The death of veteran Congress leader and former minister Shamanur Shivashankarappa triggered the by-election to the Davangere South seat.

The party opted to field his grandson, Samarth Shamanur Mallikarjun, citing winnability and family continuity.

This decision sparked discontent among minority leaders who had expected the ticket to go to a candidate from their community.

Pailwan, a long-time Congress loyalist with over four decades in the party and a close associate of the late Shivashankarappa, had openly rebelled over what he termed as neglect of minority and backward class representation.

His entry into the fray had raised fears of a three-cornered fight that could erode Congress’s traditional support base.

Although the nomination withdrawal deadline passed on March 26, preventing a formal exit from the race, Pailwan’s assurance of support is expected to see him step back from active campaigning and urge his supporters to vote for the Congress candidate.

The move is being viewed as a tactical masterstroke by the Congress high command, led by Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar.

With polling scheduled for April 9, 2026, this latest development strengthens Congress’s position in the constituency, where it now appears better placed to consolidate its votes against the BJP and other independents.

Party insiders say further details on the “conditions” agreed upon will be shared in the coming days as the campaign intensifies.

This resolution of the rebellion marks a key moment in the run-up to the bypolls, which are being closely watched for their implications on Karnataka politics.