New Delhi: Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge moved to address the growing leadership debate in Karnataka by convening a meeting of senior figures, underscoring that any decision will be taken only after full consultation. He confirmed that Rahul Gandhi, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar will participate in the discussions.
Kharge said the party’s central leadership will deliberate together before arriving at a final call, noting that the decision must reflect the collective view of the organisation. His intervention comes as speculation intensifies over friction between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar.
Shivakumar added to the political buzz on Wednesday with a cryptic post on social media, where he emphasised the importance of keeping one’s word. The message was widely read as directed toward party leadership and appeared to hint at expectations surrounding earlier commitments.
The debate escalated further after senior MLA and former minister KN Rajanna stated that the Congress Legislature Party should decide the matter and even suggested dissolving the Assembly to seek a fresh mandate. He argued that if the party contests under Shivakumar’s leadership and secures a majority, he should serve a full five-year term. Rajanna, however, also expressed his personal preference that Siddaramaiah should continue as Chief Minister, while naming Dr G Parameshwara as another possible choice.
Siddaramaiah dismissed the ongoing discussions as unnecessary, asserting that he remains focused on governance. Shivakumar, meanwhile, reaffirmed his loyalty to the party and rejected rumours about stepping down as Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee chief. He is expected to meet senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi on November 29 to present his perspective on the developments.
Kharge’s outreach aims to stabilise the situation as the party prepares to resolve the issue through internal dialogue rather than public debate.
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