India, May 28 -- As Congress leaders in New Delhi work through competing demands over Karnataka's leadership structure, a parallel contest has begun taking shape inside the party, the race to succeed D. K. Shivakumar as Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president if the current power-sharing discussions eventually alter the state's political hierarchy.

The question of who controls the Congress organisation in Karnataka has moved to the centre of internal consultations alongside speculation over a possible transition involving Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar.

Party leaders familiar with the discussions said the Congress high command is attempting to avoid a prolonged factional confrontation by pursuing...