BENGALURU: With AICC General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala camping in Bengaluru and hearing grievances from Congress MLAs, the visit has seemingly provided a platform for the camps of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar (DKS) to assert support for their respective leaders.
Shivakumar loyalist and Ramanagara MLA Iqbal Hussain on Tuesday said he would express his opinion to Surjewala that DKS be made the next chief minister. He claimed that more than 100 of the party’s 137 legislators are in favour of Shivakumar.
"If change does not happen, the Congress party cannot win a majority in the 2028 Assembly polls and retain power," Hussain told reporters ahead of his meeting with Surjewala.
He had earlier said that Shivakumar deserved the chief minister’s post for his efforts to bring Conrgess back to power in the 2023 Assembly elections.
Responding to AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge’s statement that any decision on a change in the CM post lies with the party high command, Iqbal said he respects the leadership but was "telling the facts."
He reiterated that Shivakumar played a vital role in the party’s 2023 victory by organising rallies, including the padayatra demanding implementation of the Mekedatu reservoir.
Like Iqbal, several other Shivakumar loyalists, including Magadi MLA HC Balakrishna, have expressed similar views.
According to sources, many MLAs who met Surjewala on Monday not only shared their grievances but also voiced opinions on the Chief Ministership.
Aware that some legislators may have expressed support for Siddaramaiah, the Shivakumar camp is now preparing to actively rally behind their leader, the sources added.
Meanwhile, Surjewala on Tuesday ruled out gathering any opinion on leadership change from the Congress MLAs.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Surjewala said, "Some of you asked me are you taking opinion on leadership change. The answer I had given yesterday also and I am answering again today-- the answer is clearly 'no' in one word."
Surjewala said that in the coming days he would meet all the Congress MLAs, citing the reason to be to "review their performance."
"If I'm an MLA, I'm obliged to ensure that my accountability to the people and the election promises of the Congress party are fulfilled in my constituency. So, I am asking my MLAs to give their report cards," he said.
Regarding MLAs giving open statements in public against the government, the Congress leader said, "What we deliberate in the party should remain within the party. I have advised my MLAs also. If they have a problem, instead of raising an issue or a non-issue to settle score, raise it with the head of the family -- In the PCC, there is Shivakumar and in the government there is Siddaramaiah."
(With inputs from PTI)
