New Delhi, Nov 26 (UNI) Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday addressed political speculation in Karnataka over the chief minister’s post, asserting that all internal matters will be resolved collectively by the party high command.
Kharge said both factions in the state government are communicating, but the high command will take necessary steps to maintain party unity. “We in the high command — myself, Rahul Gandhi, and our leader Sonia Gandhi — will sit together, assess the situation, and take decisions on what needs to be done,” he told media.
The political dynamics within the Karnataka Congress government remain under close watch, particularly regarding potential power-sharing arrangements. PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi, a close aide of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, recently held a lunch meeting with MLAs from Haveri and Belagavi, seen as a show of support for the chief minister.
Despite these manoeuvres, all party members have reiterated their commitment to abide by the high command’s decisions.
Meanwhile, KPCC president and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar sought to quell speculation over a possible change in the chief minister’s post, asserting party unity and adherence to the Constitution.
Responding to questions, he said, “No one should demand anything. There are no groups. There is only one group — the Congress group. Our group is 40. I do not want to speak anything in the media. Whatever is there, we will discuss party issues. I will not discuss political issues in the media.”
Shivakumar’s remarks, while projecting internal stability, are likely to draw attention from the BJP, which may question the Congress’ claim of unity and interpret the reference to “our group is 40” as highlighting potential maneuvering for leadership positions.
He further emphasized that the party’s priority is to uphold its flag and protect the Constitution. Shivakumar added that he plans to finalize the allocation of four MLC seats and discuss the reorganization of the KPCC trust and its properties with senior party leaders in the coming days.
He noted that his current schedule, including a seminar and a cabinet meeting, prevented immediate discussions but promised that these internal matters would be addressed at the earliest opportunity.
