No public talk on Karnataka leadership: Surjewala warns Congress MLAs

The AICCs warning comes a day after a state minister and several MLAs loyal to Shivakumar travelled to New Delhi, where they met the Congress high commandsignalling an escalating power struggle within the ruling party.Surjewala also accused a decisively defeated and faction-ridden BJP, along with a section of the media, of running a maligning campaign against the Congress government in the state.

AICC General Secretary in-charge of Karnataka Randeep Singh Surjewala on Friday issued a stern warning to party's MLAs and leaders against making any public statements on the issue of leadership. The AICC's warning comes a day after a state minister and several MLAs loyal to Shivakumar travelled to New Delhi, where they met the Congress high command—signalling an escalating power struggle within the ruling party.

Surjewala also accused a ''decisively defeated and faction-ridden'' BJP, along with a section of the media, of ''running a maligning campaign'' against the Congress government in the state. The party veteran claimed that the sole idea is to undermine the stellar achievements and the five Congress government guarantees, which have become an outstanding model of inclusive development and distributive justice.

''Had a discussion with Karnataka CM and Deputy CM and they agreed that a decisively defeated and faction ridden Karnataka BJP, along with a section of the media, are designedly running a maligning campaign against Karnataka and its Congress government,'' he alleged in a post on 'X'. The Rajya Sabha MP noted that the ''needless statements'' of some Congress leaders and MLAs has also fuelled unnecessary speculation. ''INC has sternly warned them from making any public statements on the issue of leadership or falling for the agenda being propagated by the vested interests. The opinion of various party functionaries has been taken note of by the leadership,'' Surjewala added. On Thursday, a minister and some MLAs loyal to Shivakumar headed to New Delhi to meet the Congress top brass, indicating a power tussle in the ruling party, sources said.

The development came a day after CM Siddaramaiah completed two-and-a-half years in office.

There was stiff competition between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar for the chief minister's post after the declaration of the assembly election results in May 2023. The Congress had managed to convince the latter and make him the deputy chief minister.

There were some reports at the time of a compromise having been reached based on a ''rotational chief minister formula,'' according to which Shivakumar will become CM after two-and-a-half years, but they have not been officially confirmed by the party.

However, Siddaramaiah rejected these reports and asserted that he will continue in office for five years.

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