Only high command can decide CM change, says Priyank Kharge
Davanagere: Amid growing political speculation over a possible change in Karnataka’s Chief Minister, Rural Development Minister Priyank Kharge on Sunday firmly stated that the issue is not open for public debate and that only the Congress party leadership can take a final call.
Addressing the media in Honnali taluk after inaugurating a newly built Grama Soudha, Kharge dismissed media discussions on the subject as unnecessary. “The decision of the party high command is supreme. Any statement made by others outside that framework is just a personal opinion,” he said.
Referring to recent remarks made by leaders including Yathindra Siddaramaiah, he said, “Those are individual comments and should not be interpreted as the party’s stand. Nobody has officially proposed a leadership change.”
Kharge explained that some MLAs had only responded to media queries and had not initiated any internal discussion. “Talking about the Chief Minister’s chair in public is meaningless. The Congress party follows discipline and internal democracy,” he added.
He reiterated that Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi are the ultimate authorities in such matters. “Their decision will be final and binding on everyone,” he noted.
Taking a dig at the BJP, Kharge accused the opposition party of trying to create instability. “Operation Kamala was the brainchild of BJP. They have a history of toppling governments. Today they have no strong leaders to question us effectively,” he said.
He further criticized BJP’s performance in the state legislature. “They couldn’t even hold a proper debate and yet they keep making allegations against Congress. Let them first put their own house in order,” he remarked.
On the allegation raised by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla regarding a plot to attack Prime Minister Modi, Kharge mocked the statement. “It is strange that such information is not with the Home Minister but with the Speaker. This itself shows how baseless the claim is,” he said.
Kharge also launched a sharp attack on Prime Minister Modi for allegedly avoiding accountability in Parliament. “He speaks only on Mann Ki Baat but never answers serious questions. Real scrutiny is always faced by Congress leaders like Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge,” he added.
Concluding his remarks, the minister asserted that Congress remains united and focused on governance. “We have served the nation for decades and will continue to do so with the support of the people,” he said.
