Karnataka power tussle: Kharge says issue will be resolved after discussions with Sonia, Rahul
New Delhi (PTI): Amid speculation over leadership change in Karnataka, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday said the issue will be resolved after discussions with senior leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, while Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar claimed there is unity in the party.
As the Congress government in Karnataka completed the halfway mark of its five-year tenure on November 20, the power tussle within the party has intensified over a possible change of guard in the state, with a section claiming an alleged "power-sharing" agreement between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar in 2023.
"The high command -- myself, Rahul ji and Sonia ji will together take a decision on the issue and resolve it," Kharge told PTI, when asked about the issue of leadership change in Karnataka.
As talk of a leadership tussle in the Congress government in Karnataka intensified and MLAs started seeking meetings with the leadership, Siddaramaiah put the onus on the party high command to put a "full stop to the confusion".
Karnataka minister Satish Jarkiholi seemed to back Siddaramaiah, saying he has asked the high command to clear the air at the earliest on the issue of leadership.
"There is no discussion about leadership change in the party. Once it comes up, then we will discuss but there is no discussion about it in the party right now," the minister said.
Jarkiholi said he will seek time and meet Kharge to discuss this issue and to tell him his opinion.
Shivakumar, however, claimed that the party is united and is focused on the 2028 assembly and 2029 Lok Sabha elections.
He had earlier claimed that there is a "secret deal between five-six of us" in the party on the issue of the power-sharing formula evolved two-and-a-half years ago.
Reluctant to comment on the alleged power-sharing agreement, he said he does not wish to speak about anything. "Whatever is there, party issues, we will discuss within four walls. I will not discuss any political issues in the media."
Denying any confusion or existence of factions, Shivakumar said, "... no one should demand anything. There are no groups in the party; there is only one group, that is the Congress. Our group has 140 MLAs."
Accusing the opposition BJP of "trying to create confusion", he said, "They are making comments unnecessarily. All 140 of us are together. No one can shake us. I don't want anyone's offer... I'm a Congressman by birth."
On reports that Rahul Gandhi had sent a personal message to him, Shivakumar replied, "What Rahul Gandhi has communicated to me is not a matter to be discussed before the media."
"Our goal is to win Karnataka in 2028 and to win at the national level in 2029, and to make Rahul Gandhi the prime minister. We will work towards this goal," he asserted.
Shivakumar asserted that he believed in collective leadership as he has worked as party president for six years.
"I believe in collective leadership. I believe in party worship, not personality worship," he said.
BJP state president B Y Vijayendra said Siddaramaiah should resign and declare an election if his party is not able to put an end to the ongoing power tussle.
Addressing reporters here, Vijayendra said the ruling Congress should come to Belagavi for the legislative session starting from December 8 with more clarity as to who should be the chief minister of the state. "Let them postpone the session or if they are unable to handle the situation, resign and declare the election," he said.
Meanwhile, on Home Minister G Parameshwara’s claim that he should also be made the chief minister, Jarkiholi, the Public Works Minister, said Parameshwara had served as party president for five years.
He said, "We (Congress) will require CM Siddaramaiah's leadership, his service and guidance even after he retires from active politics."
Responding to a question about legislators backing Shivakumar's travelling to Delhi, Siddaramaiah had said on Tuesday, "Let them go. MLAs have freedom. Let's see what opinion they give. Ultimately, the high command has to make the decision. We will abide by what the high command says."
On a section of legislators appealing to the high command to put the matter to rest, he said, "Whatever they (legislators) want to say, let them say to the high command. Ultimately, to put a full stop to this confusion, the high command has to make the decision."
Another Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge sought to play down reports that he has held discussions with Rahul Gandhi on the issue, saying he discussed KEO (Knowledge-driven, Economical, Open-source), an AI-ready personal computer, launched recently during the Bengaluru tech summit, and to discuss "vote chori" cases in the state.
Priyank Kharge is believed to have conveyed Rahul Gandhi's message to both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, and that they are likely to be called to New Delhi soon for a meeting with the intention of sorting out the issue.
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LoP Ashoka targets CM govt over corruption, says being 'shameless' in public life not forgivable
Bengaluru (PTI): Targeting Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the Congress government in Karnataka on corruption, BJP leader R Ashoka on Friday said, being foolish was forgivable, but being "shameless" in public life was not.
The Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly claimed that in just 30 months of its tenure, the Congress administration has broken every previous record on corruption-related controversies.
He was responding to Siddaramaiah's post on 'X' on Thursday hitting back at the BJP, stating that Upa Lokayukta Justice Veerappa's claims of "63 per cent corruption" were based on his report in November 2019, when BJP's B S Yediyurappa was the CM.
"But Ashoka, without understanding the Upa Lokayukta's statement properly, has ended up tying the BJP's own bells of sins onto our heads and has effectively shot himself in the foot," the CM had said, as he accused Ashoka of foolishness for trying to twist Veerappa's statement to target the current government.
Responding, Ashoka said, "it is one thing to be called foolish in politics, that can be forgiven."
"But in public life, especially in the Chief Minister's chair, one must never become shameless," Ashoka posted on 'X' on Friday addressing Siddaramaiah.
Noting that the CM himself had admitted on the floor of the Assembly that a Rs 87 crore scam took place in the Valmiki Development Corporation, he said that when a CM acknowledges such a massive irregularity inside the floor of the House, the natural expectation is immediate action and accountability.
"But instead of taking responsibility, you continue in office as if nothing has happened. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness," he asked.
Pointing out that the CM's Economic Advisor and senior Congress MLA Basavaraja Rayareddy had publicly stated that under Congress rule, Karnataka has become No.1 in corruption, Ashoka said, "Yet, you still cling to the Chief Minister's chair without a moment of introspection. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness."
Senior Congress MLA C R Patil had exposed the "money for House" racket in the Housing Department and even warned that the government would collapse if the details he has were made public, Ashoka said.
"Despite such serious allegations from within your own party (Congress), you neither initiated an inquiry nor acted against the concerned minister. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness," Ashoka asked the CM.
Highlighting the "40 percent commission" allegation Congress made against the previous BJP government, the opposition leader said, the commission that the Siddaramaiah government appointed concluded that the accusation was baseless.
"After your own panel demolished your own claim, what moral right do you have to continue repeating that allegation. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness," he asked.
For the last two and a half years, Karnataka has been 'drowning' in corruption, scandals, irregularities and allegations across departments. Ashoka said, "If I begin listing every case that emerged under your government, even 24 hours would not be enough."
"And the most tragic aspect of your administration is this: the unbearable pressure, corruption demands and administrative harassment under your government pushed several officers and contractors into extreme distress - including the suicide of Chandrasekharan which exposed the Valmiki Development Corporation scam - a sign of how deeply broken the system has become under your watch," he said.
Instead of fixing this hopeless environment, the government has tried to bury every complaint and silence every voice, he charged.
"Being foolish is forgivable, but being shameless in public life is definitely not."
"When your own ministers admit scams, when your own advisors certify Karnataka as No.1 in corruption, and when your own MLAs expose rackets inside your departments - clinging to power without accountability is not leadership. It is shamelessness in its purest form." PTI KSU
Earlier on Thursday Ashoka had demanded that the corruption case and allegations in the state against the Congress government be handed over to a CBI investigation, citing a reported statement by Upalokaykta Justice Veerappa alleging "63 per cent corruption", following which Siddaramaiah hit back at the BJP leader.
