As the public image of the Congress government in Karnataka appears to be getting dented following controversial remarks by Ministers and legislators on the tenure of the Chief Minister and the Opposition BJP levelling allegations of corruption, AICC general secretaries Randeep Singh Surjewala and K.C. Venugopal huddled together with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and KPCC president and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Wednesday and told all leaders not to cross the ‘Lakshman rekha’ of the party.
Briefing on the two-hour-long discussions on the party matters, Mr. Surjewala said “appropriate action” would be taken against leaders, MLAs, and Ministers if they make public statements on matters related to the party and the government.
Focus on giving advice
Mr. Surjewala said, “The MLAs should focus on giving advice about development related to their constituencies and districts and tweaking policies that will benefit the people of the State. Ministers should focus on their departments and their respective districts. Issues such as power-sharing should not be discussed in public.” The leaders would be doing a disservice to the party if they violate the party discipline, he said.
MLAs and Ministers have been issuing public statements related to the rotation of the post of the Chief Minister after 30 months. Loyalists of Mr. Siddaramaiah have stated that the Chief Minister’s post was not vacant, and that the incumbent would continue for five years. Mr. Shivakumar’s loyalists have been contending that the KPCC chief would become the Chief Minister after 30 months.
Mr. Surjewala told the leaders, “You discuss, give suggestions and opinions to the Chief Minister, the KPCC president or me and not in public.”
On boards and corporations
Following uneasiness among the cadre and legislators over the delay in the appointment of heads to various boards and corporations, the four leaders held talks and decided to have more detailed discussions after the Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh on November 17. Mr. Surjewala, who is in charge of the polls in M.P., said another four or five rounds of talks would be held on the appointments.
With the party banking on four guarantees, Mr. Surjewala told Mr. Siddaramaiah and Mr. Shivakumar to identify suitable candidates for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Mr. Surjewala said, “Karnataka is at the centre point of the Congress party’s strategy for the parliamentary elections. We believe that the Congress will get 20-plus Lok Sabha seats in the State. We hope to completely sweep the polls and raise the number to about 25-plus seats. The process of identifying parliamentary candidates must begin.”
After consultations
He told party leaders to select candidates after consultations with district- and Assembly-level leaders. Mr. Surjewala said he would start touring different parliamentary constituencies after the Assembly elections in five States conclude by the end of November.
On restructuring of the party organisation, he said, “This issue will be brought to the notice of the AICC president. Many of the incumbents are MLAs and Ministers. They will be relieved from organisational responsibility. We are thinking of giving the responsibility of the organisation to the youth and newcomers.”
