Senior Congress leader and Karnataka MLC BK Hariprasad on Tuesday dismissed speculation about a possible change in leadership in Karnataka amid the ongoing meeting between the party leadership and state leaders in New Delhi, and accused the BJP’s “troll army” of spreading misinformation.
His remarks came as Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar met the party high command at the party headquarters, Indira Bhavan, in New Delhi, amid a power tussle.
Siddarameh to stay cm? Great note from Karnataka MLA Congress
Hariprasad endorsed Siddaramaiah and said he has been selected to serve a full five-year term and will continue to lead the state. He added that a leadership change would only be considered if there were serious allegations of “corruption or anything else” against the prime minister.
“When Siddaramaiah ji was selected, he was selected for a five-year term. If there are serious allegations of corruption or anything else, then we have to think. There is no need to respond to the BJP’s army of trolls,” he told news agency ANI.
He also accused the BJP’s “troll factory” of spreading false narratives “to upset matters in Karnataka”. Rejecting the opposition BJP’s statements on state politics, he asked them to focus on their record in governance and international issues.
“This is from the trolling factory and lies factory of the BJP. They are working 24 hours to disturb the peace in Karnataka. This is a statement from BJP members, no one from Congress said this. BJP leaders are speaking through media, WhatsApp and social media,” he said.
They don’t look at what’s going on with themselves. Ask them to talk about what’s in the Epstein files. Ask them to talk about what Modi’s “surrender” did to Trump. This should be discussed. Congress is strong in Karnataka. Siddaramaiah ji was called upon to outline the strategy on how to defeat the BJP again after two years.
Meanwhile, Congress MLC Salim Ahmed said the meeting with the party leadership was organized to discuss several political matters, including the Rajya Sabha and MLC elections, among other issues.
Karnataka CM, Deputy CM meets Congress high command
Siddaramaiah on Tuesday met Congress general secretaries KC Venugopal and Randeep Surjewala at Indira Bhavan before meeting the party leadership. Shivakumar also arrived at the party headquarters in New Delhi to attend the meeting.
While the party described the meeting as routine, people familiar with the matter told HT that the leadership is considering ‘devolution of power’ in Karnataka and exploring possible options for Siddaramaiah.
Since the Congress returned to power in Karnataka with a strong mandate in 2023, reports of discussions about a possible change in leadership have emerged repeatedly. Several lawmakers also reportedly supported Shivakumar for the chief minister’s post.
Recent speculation suggests Siddaramaiah may step down, according to people familiar with the matter. Possible options being discussed for him include a Rajya Sabha seat or a ministerial post for his son Yatindra.
Even if Siddaramaiah agrees to move to Rajya Sabha, it may not directly mean that Shivakumar will become his successor, the sources added.
If that happens, the Congress could consider Mallikarjun Kharge as a compromise option for the chief minister’s role, while also creating space for KC Venugopal to be roped in as the party’s next president.
With inputs from Sunetra Choudhury and agencies
