Surjewala consults Karnataka Congress MLAs on CM, Kharge says up to high command

Bengaluru: The Congress brass on Monday asserted matters like leadership change will be decided by party high command, comments that came amid the "CM change" chorus from a section of party leaders in Karnataka, while it reached out to 'disgruntled' MLAs in the southern state.

AICC General Secretary in-charge of Karnataka, Randeep Singh Surjewala, began meetings with MLAs to sort out things.

Separately, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge asserted that it is up to the party high command to decide on matters such as change of guard.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that the Congress government in the state will remain "as solid as a rock" for five years and maintained that he and his deputy D K Shivakumar share good terms.

Terming the meetings with MLAs as an organisational exercise undertaken by both AICC and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee, Surjewala said, any news that is circulated in the media about leadership change is only a "figment of imagination".

This is a continuous exercise for introspection and development of the state. It is a long exercise. It will happen over a period of a month or month-and-a-half, during which he will be meeting party legislators, MPs, defeated candidates, District Congress Committee chiefs, before meeting ministers, Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister, he said.

According to party sources, as part of the first phase of his three day visit, Surjewala on Monday held one-on-one meetings with legislators from the Chikkaballapura and Kolar districts. He is expected to have heard their grievances and collected feedback on the government's functioning, they said.

Meanwhile, when reporters asked about some state Congress leaders openly discussing a possible change of chief minister in the state in October, Kharge, who was in the city said it is up to the party high command to decide on such matters and that one should not create any unnecessary problem.

"See, that is in the hands of the high command. Nobody can say here what is going on in the high command. This is left to the high command, and the high command has got power to take further action. But unnecessarily, one should not create a problem," he said.

Speculation over leadership change has resurfaced after Congress MLA H A Iqbal Hussain claimed that Shivakumar may get an opportunity to become chief minister in two to three months, while Cooperation Minister K N Rajanna hinted at "revolutionary" political developments in the state after September.

However, Siddaramaiah in Mysuru asserted that the Congress government in the state will remain "as solid as a rock" for five years and maintained that he and Shivakumar share good terms.

He also hit out at BJP leaders for claiming he would not be the CM to inaugurate the world-famous Mysuru Dasara celebrations this year, calling them "experts in lying." "This government will be as solid as a 'bande' (rock) for five years," Siddaramaiah told reporters, with Shivakumar--often referred to as 'bande' by his supporters--by his side.

Asked whether he and Shivakumar were on good terms, Siddaramaiah replied, "We are on good terms". He then held and raised Shivakumar's hand as a sign of unity.

To a question on attempts to create a rift between them, he said, "We don't listen to what others say." Shivakumar nodded in agreement.

There was stiff competition between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar for the Chief Minister's post after the declaration of Assembly election results in May 2023, and the Congress had managed to convince the latter and made him the Deputy Chief Minister.

There were some reports at the time that a compromise had been reached based on a "rotational chief minister formula," according to which Shivakumar will become CM after two-and-half years but they have not been officially confirmed by the party.

Surjewa's meeting with Congress MLAs also came in wake of public remarks by a couple of legislators, which have embarrassed the party's government.

Aland MLA B R Patil had alleged bribery in public housing allotments under the Housing Department, while Kagwad MLA Raju Kage had hinted at resigning, citing delays in developmental works and fund release, and alleging that the administration had "completely collapsed." Patil, who met Surjewala today said, he has brought everything to the latter's notice and it is now left for the party high command to take any action.