BENGALURU: Karnataka RDPR and IT/BT Minister Priyank Kharge on Wednesday said the Congress does not depend upon an individual leader for its existence.
“The party does not stand because of any one person. Wasn’t there Congress before Siddaramaiah (joined it)? Siddaramaiah left an impression on all the communities in the state. Was it not the Congress party that made Siddaramaiah the CM? Mallikarjun Kharge, Siddaramaiah, D K Shivakumar, Dr Parameshwara, Satish Jarkiholi... all were raised by the workers”, he told media persons while responding to a question on Siddaramaiah supporters remarks that that there will be a threat to the Congress’ existence if he is removed from the CM post.
On Tuesday Siddaramaiah’s aide and former cooperation minister KN Rajanna had said “Congress is a big zero without CM Siddaramaiah”.
Dismissing speculations about Mallikarjun Kharge being in the race for the CM post, Priyank termed it irrelevant as during every assembly polls and LS polls the former’s name comes to the fore for the CM and PM posts.
Hitting back at the CM’s economic advisor Basavaraj Rayareddy’s statement that the CM has not been elected for two-and-a-half years, Priyank suggested the former to go to Delhi and ask the high command. “The CLP has not decided who should be given what responsibility. How did CLP evolve? Is it not the party that gave B form (giving opportunity to contest the polls on party symbol)? When necessary, the high command will finally decide”, he said, suggesting that the party high command has the right to take the decisions from time to time.
On his meeting with Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi on Tuesday Priyank said that since the latter was invited for the recently concluded Bengaluru Tech Summit-2025 he briefed him about it.
“If not Rahul Gandhi, who should I meet, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat? If not reporting the outcome to the CM and the DCM should I report it to Keshavakripa?”, he questioned.
Siddaramaiah will remain CM for full term, says Rayareddy
Economic Advisor to Chief Minister Basavaraj Rayareddy said CM Siddaramaiah will complete his full term and ruled out any power-sharing agreement. “I don’t know what happened behind the four walls... Siddaramaiah will continue as CM,” he told reporters in Koppal.
On Ramanagara MLA Iqbal Hussain’s statement that DCM DK Shivakumar will soon become CM, Rayareddy said, “There are a few people who are overconfident... a few are even sarcastic. There is no question of sharing power. Did Shivakumar ever say he will become CM?”
“If agreements are made between them over power sharing, is it to be treated like a contract,” he asked, adding that Siddaramaiah was elected CLP leader in 2023 and he will complete his full five-year term. Rayareddy said that a few vested interests are trying to destabilise the government.
“There is no factionalism in our party. We are all united. It is natural for any leader aspiring to become the CM or even a minister,” he added.