Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday stepped in to address the simmering leadership dispute within the party's Karnataka unit, firmly defending the role of the central leadership. Speaking to reporters in Kalaburagi, his home district in Karnataka, Kharge shifted the focus of the ongoing "confusion" from the high command to the local level.
High Command Not to Blame, Says Kharge
In a clear rebuttal to internal criticisms, Kharge stated that the party's top leadership had not created any ambiguity. "The high command hasn't created any confusion. It exists at the local level. How is it right to put the blame on the high command?" he questioned. The veteran leader urged local Congress functionaries to assume "ownership" of the internal disagreements instead of pointing fingers at the central leadership in New Delhi.
Credit for Success Belongs to All Workers
Kharge also issued a caution to party leaders against individual credit-seeking for the party's electoral victories. Emphasizing the collective effort behind the Congress's success, he remarked, "Everyone has built the party. It’s not the effort of any one individual. Congress has been built by party workers. Congress workers supported us." While he did not name anyone, his comments are seen as a message in the context of the power tussle in Karnataka between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy, DK Shivakumar, who also heads the state Congress unit.
Background of the Karnataka Leadership Issue
The remarks come against the backdrop of a widely reported understanding within the party. After the Congress's decisive victory in the May 2023 Karnataka assembly elections, which ousted the BJP from power, the high command is believed to have brokered a deal. The arrangement reportedly involved veteran Siddaramaiah serving as chief minister for the first half of the five-year term, with Shivakumar taking over for the second half. Siddaramaiah completed 2.5 years of his term on November 20, 2024, bringing the purported power-sharing agreement into sharp focus.
Adding to the dynamic, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday expressed confidence that the party leadership would support him to complete a full five-year term. Kharge's intervention is viewed as an attempt to quell public sparring and present a united front, reminding state leaders that internal discipline and collective responsibility are paramount for the party's stability.
