Vijayapura (Karnataka) [India], February 18: Karnataka Minister of Commerce and Industries, MB Patil, has addressed the ongoing speculation about the position of Chief Minister in the state. He emphasized that the Congress high command is closely monitoring the situation and asserted that decisions regarding the leadership will be made at the top levels of the party.
Speaking to the media, Patil stated, “We have a high command in the Congress party, and it is watching everything. In all issues, the high command is supreme. Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and AICC General Secretaries are supreme. Other things are irrelevant, I don’t want to speak anything else…”
The remarks come amid ongoing speculation that Siddaramaiah, the current Chief Minister of Karnataka, may resign, paving the way for D. K. Shivakumar to assume the role as per a supposed agreement between the two leaders. There have been reports suggesting that a 2.5-year arrangement was made between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar regarding the Chief Minister’s position, which has fueled further speculation about leadership changes in the state.
Naseer Ahmed, Political Secretary to the Karnataka Chief Minister, also weighed in on the matter. He stressed the importance of maintaining party discipline and made it clear that any decisions concerning the Chief Minister’s role will be made by the Congress legislature party and the party’s high command.
In an interview with ANI, Ahmed emphasized, “The decision regarding the Chief Minister’s position within our party will be taken by the legislature party and the high command. It is important that everyone understands their limitations and respects the decision-making process. No individual, regardless of their position, has the authority to make statements that deviate from the party line. We are all committed to upholding discipline and ensuring that the party remains united in its goals.”
Both leaders reaffirmed that party decisions will be taken through the established processes, and no individual within the party is authorized to speak out of turn regarding leadership matters.