Kharge's big remark on Karnataka CM post tussle: 'Sonia Gandhi, Rahul and I will discuss the issue'
Kharge said the party leadership would sort out the issue and that he, Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi would meet to consider the situation and provide whatever mediation was necessary.
Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday addressed questions about a possible change of chief minister in Karnataka, stating that he would discuss the matter with Rajya Sabha MP Sonia Gandhi and Leader of Opposition and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi before taking it forward.
Speaking to ANI, he said, only those in Karnataka can judge the government’s performance. He added that the party leadership would sort out the issue and that he, Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi would meet to consider the situation and provide whatever mediation was necessary.
He had earlier made it clear that any decision on the matter would rest solely with the party’s top leadership.
What is happening in Karnataka government
The internal tussle within the ruling party has reportedly intensified in recent weeks amid speculation about a possible change of chief minister.
The Congress government crossed the halfway mark of its five year term on November 20. Around the same time, reports resurfaced about an alleged power-sharing understanding between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his Deputy DK Shivakumar dating back to 2023.
Siddaramaiah recently urged the party’s national leadership to put an end to what he called confusion, after noting that any decision by the high command would apply equally to him and to Shivakumar.
The secret deal
During a visit to his constituency Kanakpura on Tuesday, the deputy chief minister claimed there had been a secret deal among five or six Congress members regarding the chief minister’s post. He added that he did not wish to discuss it in public as it might embarrass or weaken the party.
Speculation surrounding this alleged arrangement has grown in recent months. The chief minister has spoken of a possible reshuffle while asserting that he intends to remain in charge, and supporters of the deputy chief minister have been promoting his claim both within Karnataka and in Delhi.
Shivakumar's response to power tussle claims
Speaking to the media in Bengaluru, Shivakumar brushed aside the speculations of a power tussle with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, saying there is no confusion or grouping in the Karnataka Congress. "There are no groups. There is only one group, the Congress which is of 140 MLAs," he said.