Digvijaya Singh meets Congress leaders to defuse crisis in its Telangana unit
Hyderabad(PTI): Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Thursday held meetings with party leaders in Telangana to resolve the crisis in the party's State unit in the wake of some senior leaders complaining that those who recently joined the party got prominence at the cost of "original leaders and activists."
Singh, who had served as in-charge of party affairs in undivided Andhra Pradesh, met a number of State party leaders at Gandhi Bhavan, Congress headquarters in Telangana.
Observing that Singh had a deep understanding about the State, the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka said the former was aware of party leaders serving the party for long. He said he discussed contemporary political, economic and social issues in the State with Singh.
Former Union Minister Renuka Choudhary, senior leader and Congress MLC T Jeevan Redy, former Union Minister Balram Naik were among those who visited Gandhi Bhavan.
Singh is likely to speak to reporters on Friday.
The senior party leaders in Telangana, who had expressed dissatisfaction over party affairs, cancelled a meeting on Tuesday following the intervention of Digvijaya Singh.
The Congress in Telangana has been hit by internal feud with some senior leaders alleging that those who "migrated" to Congress from other parties got prominence in party posts.
More than 10 leaders had resigned from their PCC posts in response to these remarks.
The leaders who quit on Sunday include sitting Congress MLA Danasari Anasuya (Seethakka) and former legislator Vem Narendar Reddy.
Former deputy chief minister in undivided Andhra Pradesh Damodar Rajanarasimha on Saturday, in an apparent reference to some of the former TDP leaders who joined the Congress, sought to know what message it would give to "original Congress activists" if those who "migrated" to the Congress from other parties got prominence.
He was flanked by Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, party Lok Sabha member N Uttam Kumar Reddy, former MP Madhu Yashki Goud and party MLA T Jayaprakash Reddy (known as Jagga Reddy) when he made the comments. The senior leaders held a meeting on Saturday.
The dissatisfaction of these leaders is seen as directed towards State Congress president and MP A Revanth Reddy.
After the Congress's poor performance in the recent bypoll to the Munugode Assembly constituency, the party's State unit has been facing the infighting as the senior State party leaders expressed dissatisfaction over the recently announced jumbo PCC committees.
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Kharge has put 'full stop' to leadership speculation in Karnataka: Minister Parameshwara
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Friday said AICC chief Mallikarjun Kharge has put a "full stop" on the issue of leadership change in the state.
Kharge's statement has a lot of significance and there ends the matter for now. Everyone in the party should respect and accept this, he said.
Parameshwara was referring to Kharge's statement on Thursday that there was no chief minister change in Karnataka "for now" and that the leadership issue in the state will be resolved soon.
Kharge's statement came amid speculation within the party and political circles about a possible decision on leadership change and cabinet reshuffle after May 4, once the results for assembly elections in four states and one union territory, along with bypolls to two assembly segments in Karnataka, are announced.
"Mallikarjun Kharge is our party's national president. He has a lot of experience. Several people, including me, have said that in the case of change (in leadership), if he (Kharge) comes (as CM), no one could speak in front of his experience and everyone would accept it. While replying to it, Kharge said that there is a chief minister now, and there is no question of change as of now," Parameshwara said.
Speaking to reporters here, he said, "I welcome his (Kharge) statement because I feel he has expressed his opinion after a discussion involving him, Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, K C Venugopal and Randeep Singh Surjewala (both AICC general secretaries). I may be right or wrong. I feel that his statement has a lot of significance. So that matter ends there for now."
Responding to a question on repeated statements by several party leaders regarding leadership change, the home minister said, what the AICC chief has said on the matter is final. It should be respected and accepted by all in the party. There is no meaning in interpreting it further.
"I cannot respond to what others say, but I can say my opinion. In my opinion, the AICC chief is the supreme authority in the party. He, along with Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, are our high command. If the high command has said something, we should both respect and accept it. There ends the matter," he said.
Kharge has put a "full stop" on the issue, he further said, adding that, "When he has said there is no change. It is a full stop."
Responding to a question on Parameshwara's recent statement about Kharge becoming chief minister, the AICC chief on Thursday said, "You (media), he (Parameshwara), and people at the top say that it is better if I become CM. But more than fate, as per my ideology and my service to the party so far, Sonia Gandhi makes decisions regarding me."
He had further said, "But that question does not arise now. There is already a CM here. If Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and I together have to take any decision in that direction, it will take some time. Let's wait and see."
Kharge on Friday too said no date has been fixed yet to discuss a possible leadership change in Karnataka.
Supporters of Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar have been insisting on his elevation in line with a reported power-sharing agreement with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah when the party won the 2023 Assembly elections. Some have even claimed that "sweet news" is expected by May 15, which is Shivakumar's birthday.
The leadership tussle within the ruling party has intensified amid speculation about a possible change of chief minister after the Congress government completed the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20, 2025.
The speculation has been fuelled by a reported "power-sharing" arrangement between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar at the time of government formation in 2023.
