Rahul Gandhi defers decision on Karnataka leadership change: Reports
Bengaluru: Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has reportedly put the decision on a possible leadership change in Karnataka on hold after receiving feedback on the potential political repercussions of such a move, according to highly placed party sources.
According to a report published by The New Indian Express on Friday, Rahul Gandhi received detailed inputs from multiple quarters, including election strategist Sunil Kanugol, suggesting that this may not be an opportune time to alter the leadership structure in the state. Based on these assessments, the high command is believed to have decided to defer any immediate decision.
ALSO READ: Protests outside Delhi High Court against bail to Kuldeep Sengar in Unnao rape case
While Deputy CM DK Shivakumar is yet to get an audience with Rahul, Siddaramaiah sympathisers MLC BK Hariprasad and Minister KJ George met the LoP recently and reportedly voiced their opinion against any change in chief minister.
RDPR and IT/BT Minister Priyank Kharge also met Rahul, but it is not known what transpired between them.
According to party insiders, Rahul Gandhi has been advised that a leadership change at this stage could have adverse consequences for the Congress government in Karnataka. Recently, AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge had said that the confusion over leadership exists only in the party’s state unit and not with the high command.
Also, AICC general secretaries KC Venugopal and Randeep Singh Surjewala are busy in their states of Kerala and Haryana, respectively. While Venugopal is eyeing the CM post if the Congress wins in Kerala, Surjewala aspires to become the Haryana PCC chief.
As a result, sources said, the final call on power-sharing and leadership in Karnataka rests solely with Rahul Gandhi. However, he is expected to travel to Europe after attending the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting in Delhi on December 27 and return only after January 10. Until then, no decision is expected on either a cabinet reshuffle or a change in chief minister.
In all probability, Siddaramaiah is likely to break the record set by D Devaraj Urs as the longest-serving CM. Siddaramaiah will break the record on January 6, completing 7 years and 238 days in office. Also, Siddaramaiah is expected to present a record 17th budget.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is scheduled to leave for Delhi on Friday evening (December 26) to attend the CWC meeting and is likely to meet senior party leaders, including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge. He is also expected to hold discussions with Union ministers regarding Karnataka-related projects but is unlikely to raise the issue of leadership change or cabinet reshuffle during this visit.
According to sources, Siddaramaiah may seek approval for a cabinet reshuffle only after Rahul Gandhi returns from his overseas visit.
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Delhi HC asks Jaideep Sengar to surrender in Unnao custodial death case
New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi High Court on Friday asked Jaideep Sengar, brother of Unnao rape case convict Kuldeep Sengar, to surrender before jail authorities in connection with his conviction in the custodial death case of the survivor's father.
A bench of Justices Navin Chawla and Ravinder Dudeja was hearing a plea by the convict for further extension of interim bail upon suspension of the 10-year sentence.
It observed that the interim bail granted to Jaideep Sengar in July 2024 was last extended in April 2025 and since then, in spite of five dates, no order of any further extension or suspension of his sentence has been passed by the court.
As the senior counsel for Jaideep Sengar urged the bench to extend the period of his release on account of his health, the bench said, "You surrender and then we will see."
"Although there is no extension of interim suspension of sentence granted, we find he has still not surrendered. Before we proceed to consider his application for further extension of suspension of sentence, we require the appellant to first surrender," the bench ordered.
The senior counsel for Jaideep Sengar assured the court that he would surrender by Saturday.
The court listed the matter for hearing next week.
Jaideep Sengar, 50, sought the bail extension on the grounds that he is suffering from oral cancer.
The Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) counsel had earlier said it was not a fit case for extension of interim bail, and the prescription given by Jaideep Sengar in support of his plea was fabricated.
In his application, Jaideep Sengar said he was suffering from stage IV oral cancer, a life-threatening condition, and had developed clinical signs of recurrence.
The condition, the plea said, required continuous and specialised medical care.
The plea also informed that Jaideep Sengar has spent about four years in custody.
The high court had granted interim bail to Jaideep Sengar on July 3, 2024, for two months on medical grounds.
Kuldeep Sengar was convicted and sentenced to imprisonment for the remainder of his life on December 20, 2019, for raping the minor in 2017.
On March 13, 2020, Kuldeep Sengar, along with Jaideep Sengar, was sentenced to 10 years' rigorous imprisonment by the trial court, which also imposed a fine of Rs 10 lakh, in the custodial death case of the rape survivor's father.
The survivor's father was arrested, allegedly at the behest of the accused, under the Arms Act and died in custody on April 9, 2018, owing to police brutality.
The trial court said no leniency could be shown for killing a family's sole breadwinner.
