Randeep Singh Surjewala, AICC general secretary in charge of Karnataka, on Monday warned Congress leaders in the State against issuing statements on the Chief Ministerial candidates of the party for the 2023 Assembly elections.
“I have noted with concern that certain individuals in the Congress party have recently become prone to issuing statements about leadership in the State or leadership post a Congress government formation. I take this opportunity to forewarn them to avoid such comments completely,” he said in a press statement.
He said the central Congress leadership and party MLAs would decide on the issue at an appropriate time and all Congress leaders would fight the battle together in the interest of the public. “Like Arjuna in Mahabharata, this should be our only goal,” he said.
Mr. Surjewala’s statement comes in the wake of a few Congress leaders, including MLA Zameer Ahmed Khan, describing Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah as the future Chief Minister. Such remarks appear to have created discomfort in the party as there are several contenders for the CM post if the party comes to power.
Last Saturday, KPCC president D.K. Shivakumar had asked leaders of the party to refrain from projecting a Chief Ministerial face of the party for 2023. Both Mr. Shivakumar and Mr. Siddaramaiah are seen as major contenders for the top post.
Mr. Surjewala also accused the BJP of plundering the resources of the State by securing power through the machinations of defection. He alleged that “the buzzwords of the Yediyurappa government are corruption and maladministration”.
