Leadership change in Karnataka figment of imagination: Randeep Surjewala

Randeep Surjewala

Amid ongoing media speculation about a possible leadership change in Karnataka, AICC General Secretary and Congress in-charge for the state, Randeep Singh Surjewala today firmly dismissed such reports as baseless and termed the as 'figment of imagination'.

Speaking to mediapersons at the KPCC office in Bengaluru, Surjewala said: "Any news that is being circulated in the media about some leadership change is only a figment of your imagination."

Earlier today, Expressing displeasure over party MLAs issuing varying statements of change of chief minister in Karnataka after September, president of All India Congress Committee (AICC) Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday made it clear “That is in the hands of high command” to initiate a change in Chief Minister in Karnataka.

Kharge stated Karnataka in charge and general secretary of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) Randeep Singh Surjewala is in Bengaluru to hold meetings with party MLAs. “He will submit his report and apprise the high command of his meetings with the MLAs. Based on his report, the high command will initiate further actions,” stated Kharge and on replacement of Chief Minister, the AICC president said, “This issue is left to the high command and high command has got powers to initiate further actions.” He stated “One should not create problems/confusions.”

The ‘high command’ has been the Congress’s go-to party line — ever since the party leaders have come out supporting either Siddaramaiah, or Shivakumar for the Chief Minister’s role. Earlier in February, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said something similar, in response to a question on discussions about leadership change, “It is for the high command to decide.” In April, too, Karnataka Congress MLA Basavaraj Shivaganga, a Shivakumar loyalist, openly called for Siddaramaiah’s ouster by December. The demand highlighted the ongoing factionalism within the state’s Congress unit, despite the party high command’s diktat against public dissent.

Now, the Congress Karnataka in-change Randeep Surjewala is in Bengaluru to hold private interactions with around 100 MLAs which sources said was a damage-control exercise.