Sadiq Pahilwan, a minority community leader who stepped down from contesting the Davanagere South Assembly bypoll, met Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in Bengaluru on May 6, 2026. His withdrawal from the race came after discussions with Siddaramaiah and KPCC chief and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, clearing the way for the official Congress candidate's uncontested momentum.

Pahilwan had initially expressed intent to run as a rebel candidate but later chose to support the party. His move follows the Congress's victory in the by-election, which was seen as a key test of the party's hold in central Karnataka. Senior MLA Rizwan Arshad also extended congratulations to Siddaramaiah, reinforcing internal cohesion.

The meeting underscores the party's efforts to consolidate minority and grassroots support ahead of upcoming electoral challenges. State Congress leaders are now focusing on maintaining unity across factions in the wake of the bypoll outcome. The party leadership will assess candidate coordination strategies at a review meeting scheduled for next week.