Cong high command will decide on matters like changing CM, says Mallikarjun Kharge
Kharge has no real authority in party: BJP's dig at Cong chief
Bengaluru, Jun 30 (PTI): Amid Congress leaders in Karnataka openly discussing possible change of Chief Minister in the state, AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday said it is up to the party high command to decide on such matters and that one should not create any unnecessary problem.
Kharge was responding to media queries about some Congress leaders in the state claiming about a change in the post of chief minister in October.
"See, that is in the hands of the high command. Nobody can say here what is going on in the high command. This is left to the high command, and the high command has got power to take further action. But unnecessarily, one should not create a problem," he told reporters here.
In 2023, when the Congress assumed power in the southern state, there were speculations that Siddaramaiah and D K Shivakumar would helm the state for 2.5 years each, as per a rotational formula, claims the party has neither confirmed nor rejected so far. Currently, Siddaramaiah is the chief minister and Shivakumar his deputy.
Meanwhile, Congress General Secretary in-charge of Karnataka, Randeep Singh Surjewala, who is in Bengaluru met with party legislators here, amid signs of disgruntlement and speculations about leadership change within the ruling party.
Reacting to his visit, Kharge said, "Surjewala has come. Based on his report and what feedback he gathers, we will decide what steps to take."
Calling Kharge an accidental AICC president, Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, R Ashoka, asked, "If Kharge is not the party high command, then who is?"
In a post on 'X', Ashoka said, "Looks like Congress has gifted us another ‘accidental’ leader. First, it was Dr. Manmohan Singh, the PM who had the chair but not the command, who had the responsibility but no power. Now it’s Mallikarjun Kharge, the Accidental AICC President, who proudly admits he doesn’t know what the 'high command' is thinking," he said in a post on 'X'.
"Dear Kharge Ji, if you are not the high command, then who is? RahulGandhi? Sonia Gandhi? Priyanka Gandhi or is it an invisible committee of one surname? In @INCIndia, the President is just there for appearances, while decisions are taken behind closed doors at 10 Janpath," Ashoka alleged.
He claimed that Kharge isn't leading the Congress, he’s leading a "masterclass in con-graceful surrender".
"Same script, new actor. Still directed by the Gandhi family," he added.
There was no immediate response to Ashoka from the Congress side.
Looks like Congress has gifted us another ‘accidental’ leader.
— R. Ashoka (@RAshokaBJP) June 30, 2025
First it was Dr. Manmohan Singh, the PM who had the chair but not the command, who had the responsibility but no power. Now it’s Shri Mallikarjun Kharge, the Accidental AICC President who proudly admits he doesn’t… https://t.co/fNinvbVBKH
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NEET student hangs self in Rajasthan's Sikar
Jaipur (PTI): A student preparing for the NEET examination allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself in a rented room in Rajasthan's Sikar on Friday, police said.
According to the police, the student allegedly hanged himself from a ceiling fan using his sister's scarf while one sister was attending coaching classes and the other was in the bathroom.
He had appeared in the NEET UG exam 2026, which was cancelled due to paper leak, they said.
Udyog Nagar SHO Rajesh Kumar said that the deceased, identified as Pradeep Meghwal, was a resident of Kanika ki Dhani village in Jhunjhunu's Gudha Gaudji area.
He had been living in a rented room in Sikar's Jaldhari Nagar area with his two sisters while preparing for NEET over the last three years.
His elder sister later found him hanging and informed the landlord and police after bringing him down, officials said.
The SHO said the body was kept at SK Hospital mortuary, and a postmortem had not been conducted.
The student's father, Rajesh Kumar Meghwal, told police that Pradeep's NEET examination had gone well and the family was expecting him to score around 650 marks.
Former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot expressed grief over the incident and linked it to anxiety among students after reports of irregularities and paper leaks in NEET 2026.
Pilot said repeated paper leak incidents and cancellation of examinations were affecting students' mental health and demanded a time-bound investigation and strict action against those responsible.
