Karnataka Congress Meet: Rahul Gandhi Urges Unity Among Leaders As 2023 Assembly Polls Near

Gandhi's call for unity comes amid a rift in the party between two top leaders in the state – legislature party leader Siddaramaiah and state president DK Shivakumar – over the chief minister's post

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi being presented a 'Khadi Charkha' by party workers, in Hubballi.

Source : PTI

Amid Infighting amongst Karnataka Congress leaders, party leader Rahul Gandhi visits the state and attends political affairs committee meeting, where organisational matters and preparations for the upcoming assembly polls discussions were held. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday night urged the party's Karnataka unit leaders to work unitedly for the 2023 assembly polls and not speak out publicly on leadership and internal matters.

Gandhi's call for unity comes amid a rift in the party between two top leaders in the state – legislature party leader Siddaramaiah and state president DK Shivakumar – over the chief minister's post in the event of the party coming to power in the state.

"The committee discussed party organisation and policy matters. The meeting also discussed preparations for the 2023 assembly polls. PAC will meet frequently and take collective decisions in the interest of the party. Rahul Gandhi appealed to leaders of the party to go aggressively and unitedly against the misrule of the BJP in Karnataka and at the Centre," AICC general secretary KC Venugopal said, as quoted by PTI.

Speaking to reporters here after the meeting, he said Gandhi urged party leaders to work to instill a people-centric Congress government in Karnataka.

"The entire leadership of Karnataka will join hands together and win Karnataka in the 2023 polls.....unknowingly or knowingly some statements are made here and there before the media. Don't fall for that trap, party leaders should not speak in different voices inside or outside," he added.

Stating that it has been unanimously decided not to speak about internal matters in public, Venugopal said, "There is no leadership issue at all, individual opinion is also not acceptable. The party's new MLAs and the high command will decide on the leader after winning." Several internal issues have been discussed at the meeting, he said. "We are well-prepared to finalise the candidates, announce their names and win the elections."

Meanwhile, the political affairs committee of the Congress met on Tuesday for the first time after its constitution on July 9. Besides Gandhi, Venugopal, Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, the party's campaign committee chief MB Patil, Leader of Opposition in the legislative council BK Hariprasad, and senior leaders like HK Patil, Dinesh Gundu Rao, M Veerappa Moily and G Parameshwara attended the meeting.

Rahul Gandhi's two-day visit to the state assumes significance as the Congress in Karnataka seems to be in a conundrum, with many within the party fearing it would implode ahead of the assembly polls.

Though both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar have overtly maintained that the chief minister will be decided by party's newly elected MLAs and the high command on gaining majority in the polls, their loyalists and camp followers have been projecting their respective leaders.

Gandhi on Wednesday took part in former CM Siddaramaiah's 75th birthday celebrations in the district headquarters of Davanagere on Wednesday.

Rahul Gandhi At Murugha Math In Chitradurga

Gandhi visited Chitradurga's Murugarajendra Mutt, a prominent Lingayat seer in the region. After reaching the Math, Gandhi received Linga Deeksha from Math seer Dr Sri Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru. People belonging to the Lingayat community perform this ritual, by wearing an Ishtalinga made up of crystal, said a news agency ANI report.

"I've been following & reading a little about Basavanna ji for some time now. So, it's a real honour for me to be here. I'd make a request, if you can send me somebody who can teach me a little more in detail about Ishtalinga & Shivayoga, I'd probably benefit from it," the Congress leader said.

Karnataka | Congress leader Rahul Gandhi received Linga Deeksha from Sri Murugha Math seer Dr Sri Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru, in Chitradurga.

Usually, people belonging to Lingayat community perform this ritual, by wearing an Ishtalinga made up of crystal. pic.twitter.com/X150AVMxoM

— ANI (@ANI) August 3, 2022