Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has dismissed speculation about a change in leadership in Karnataka. He made it clear that only the party high command has the authority to make such decisions. Moreover, he advised party leaders to avoid stirring unnecessary trouble.

Only the High Command Can Decide

While speaking to reporters in Bengaluru on Monday, Kharge responded to claims that the chief minister might be replaced in October.

He said, “See, that is in the hands of the high command. Nobody can say here what is going on in the high command. This is left to the high command, and the high command has got power to take further action. But unnecessarily, one should not create problem.”

Past Rumours About Power Sharing

When Congress returned to power in Karnataka in 2023, there were strong rumours of a power-sharing deal. According to these reports, Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar were expected to share the CM’s post for 2.5 years each. However, the party never officially confirmed this agreement.

Currently, Siddaramaiah continues to serve as chief minister, and Shivakumar remains the deputy.

Yathindra Says Father Will Serve Full Term

On Saturday, Siddaramaiah’s son and Congress MLC, Yathindra Siddaramaiah, firmly denied any leadership change. He said his father still enjoys full support from the Congress high command and party MLAs.

He told reporters, “The government is functioning without any hurdles. The high command has not spoken about any change in leadership, nor have they given any indication of it. My father will remain chief minister for the full five years.”

Minister’s Comments Spark Speculation

This statement came shortly after Cooperation Minister KN Rajanna made remarks suggesting a leadership shift could happen in September. He spoke about the existence of “multiple power centres” within the Congress government.

However, Yathindra dismissed these claims. He added that only Rajanna could explain the reason behind his statement.