Siddaramaiah vs DKS: Congress high command to decide on Karnataka CM row, says Kharge

Amid the ongoing tussle over the post of Karnataka Chief Minister, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said that the high command will discuss the issue and take a decision.

As the Congress government in the state completed the halfway point of its five-year term on November 20, the power struggle within the party has intensified over a possible transition in the state, with a section claiming a purported “power-sharing” agreement between Chief Minister D Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar in 2023.

Kharge said, “I will call everyone and discuss. Rahul Gandhi will also be present in that discussion. Other members will also be present. The CM and Deputy CM will also be present. A decision will be taken after discussion with all of them. There is a team. I am not alone. The entire high command team will discuss and take a decision.”

Congress leader Rashid Alvi said Kharge should resolve the issue as soon as possible, “Every political party goes through such turmoil. We know what happened to Vasundhara Raje in Rajasthan. We are worried about Karnataka. The head of the Congress party is not Rahul Gandhi but Mallikarjun Kharge; he should resolve this issue as soon as possible.”

Minister of State Priyank Kharge said that there is no issue in the party. “They (BJP) can say anything. Why are they so worried? We are here to address public issues. We are an elected government. There is no issue to be resolved,” he said.