Bengaluru: In a major development amid the ongoing leadership tussle in Karnataka, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday confirmed that he has been summoned to New Delhi for a meeting with the Congress high command on Tuesday. However, he maintained that he was unaware of the agenda of the meeting.
Speaking to reporters at the KPCC office in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said, “I have been invited to Delhi. There is a meeting tomorrow (May 26). I do not know the subject of the meeting. They have called the meeting for 11 a.m. AICC General Secretary and MP K.C. Venugopal called me, informed me about the meeting, and invited me to attend.”
When asked about speculation surrounding a possible leadership change in the state, Siddaramaiah said that such speculation “is always there”.
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister and Karnataka Congress President D.K. Shivakumar, when asked about his Delhi trip, said that he would also travel to Delhi if summoned by the party high command.
Shivakumar further stated, while answering another question, that the Congress government will come again in the state in 2028 Assembly election as well. “You will see, Shivakumar and the Congress government coming back to power,” he stated.
He also recalled that during the 2023 Assembly polls, he challenged speculations predicting Congress’ loss in the Assembly polls. “At a time when Union Home Minister Amit Shah was talking about the BJP’s victory, I challenged that Congress would win 136 seats and we came to power,” he underlined.
According to sources, the first meeting of CM Siddaramaiah is expected to be held at the residence of AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge, in the presence of K.C. Venugopal. Following this, the leaders are likely to meet Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
Sources further stated that discussions are expected to focus on leadership tussle, cabinet expansion, induction of new ministers, and the upcoming Rajya Sabha polls, apart from political developments in the state.
Meanwhile, Siddaramaiah has reportedly held discussions with senior cabinet colleagues regarding the summons from the high command. He is scheduled to leave Bengaluru for Delhi at 7 p.m. on Monday.
More than five senior cabinet ministers are also expected to accompany the Chief Minister to Delhi. Among those likely to travel are Home Minister G. Parameshwara, Urban Development Minister Byrathi Suresh, Energy Minister K.J. George, and Law Minister H.K. Patil.
It can be recalled that Karnataka Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) In-charge and the party’s National General Secretary Radha Mohan Das Agrawal have alleged that Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge was trying to create differences between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister and State Congress President D.K. Shivakumar for his own political interests.
Parameshwara, earlier, had dismissed speculation over the alleged leadership tussle in the ruling Congress and asserted that any decision regarding the Chief Minister’s post would be taken only by the party high command and asked who had raised the question regarding a change in leadership.
(IANS)
