Congress high command will resolve issue: Kharge on Karnataka power tussle

Amid renewed speculation over a leadership change in Karnataka, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the high command will resolve the issue after consultations with Sonia and Rahul Gandhi. Siddaramaiah and D.K. Shivakumar denied factionalism even as MLAs sought clarity on the alleged power-sharing pact

Bengaluru/New Delhi: Amid speculation over leadership change in Karnataka, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday said the issue will be resolved after discussions with senior leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, while Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar claimed there is unity in the party.

As the Congress government in Karnataka completed the halfway mark of its five-year tenure on November 20, the power tussle within the party has intensified over a possible change of guard in the state, with a section claiming an alleged “power-sharing” agreement between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar in 2023.

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“The high command — myself, Rahul ji and Sonia ji will together take a decision on the issue and resolve it,” Kharge told PTI, when asked about the issue of leadership change in Karnataka.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge dismissed as “irrelevant,” a section of party leaders pitching his father Mallikarjun Kharge for the CM post amid the leadership issue.

As talk of a leadership tussle in the Congress government in Karnataka intensified and MLAs started seeking meetings with the leadership, Siddaramaiah has put the onus on the party high command to put a “full stop to the confusion”.

Karnataka minister Satish Jarkiholi seemed to back Siddaramaiah, saying he has asked the high command to clear the air at the earliest on the issue of leadership.

“There is no discussion about leadership change in the party. Once it comes up, then we will discuss but there is no discussion about it in the party right now,” the minister said.

Jarkiholi said he will seek time and meet Kharge to discuss this issue and to tell him his opinion.

Shivakumar, however, claimed that the party is united and is focused on the 2028 assembly and 2029 Lok Sabha elections.

He had earlier claimed that there is a “secret deal between five-six of us” in the party on the issue of the power-sharing formula evolved two-and-a-half years ago.

Reluctant to comment on the alleged power-sharing agreement, he said he does not wish to speak about anything. “Whatever is there, party issues, we will discuss within four walls. I will not discuss any political issues in the media.” Denying any confusion or existence of factions, Shivakumar said, “… no one should demand anything. There are no groups in the party; there is only one group, that is the Congress. Our group has 140 MLAs.” Accusing the opposition BJP of “trying to create confusion”, he said, “They are making comments unnecessarily. All 140 of us are together. No one can shake us. I don’t want anyone’s offer… I’m a Congressman by birth.” On reports that Rahul Gandhi had sent a personal message to him, Shivakumar replied, “What Rahul Gandhi has communicated to me is not a matter to be discussed before the media.” “Our goal is to win Karnataka in 2028 and to win at the national level in 2029, and to make Rahul Gandhi the prime minister. We will work towards this goal,” he asserted.

Shivakumar asserted that he believed in collective leadership as he has worked as party president for six years.

“I believe in collective leadership. I believe in party worship, not personality worship,” he said.

BJP state president B Y Vijayendra said Siddaramaiah should resign and declare an election if his party is not able to put an end to the ongoing power tussle.

Addressing reporters in Bengaluru, Vijayendra said the ruling Congress should come to Belagavi for the legislative session starting from December 8 with more clarity as to who should be the chief minister of the state. “Let them postpone the session or if they are unable to handle the situation, resign and declare the election,” he said.

Meanwhile, on Home Minister G Parameshwara’s claim that he should also be made the chief minister, Jarkiholi, the Public Works Minister, said the former had served as party president for five years.

He said, “We (Congress) will require CM Siddaramaiah’s leadership, his service and guidance even after he retires from active politics.” Responding to a question about legislators backing Shivakumar’s travelling to Delhi, Siddaramaiah had said on Tuesday, “Let them go. MLAs have freedom. Let’s see what opinion they give. Ultimately, the high command has to make the decision. We will abide by what the high command says.” On a section of legislators appealing to the high command to put the matter to rest, he said, “Whatever they (legislators) want to say, let them say to the high command. Ultimately, to put a full stop to this confusion, the high command has to make the decision.” Another Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge sought to play down reports that he has held discussions with Rahul Gandhi on the issue, saying he discussed KEO (Knowledge-driven, Economical, Open-source), an AI-ready personal computer, launched recently during the Bengaluru tech summit, and to discuss “vote chori” cases in the state.

Priyank Kharge is believed to have conveyed Rahul Gandhi’s message to both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, and that they are likely to be called to New Delhi soon for a meeting with the intention of sorting out the issue.