Bengaluru: The Congress leadership on Monday issued gag orders for its Karnataka MLAs from airing their views in public on the ongoing leadership tussle within the party, party sources said.
The overarching message to lawmakers came at the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting held in Bengaluru on Monday evening. "Everyone must abide by whatever the high command decides (with regard to the leadership in Karnataka). No minister or MLA should speak in public," the Congress MLAs were told in the meeting attended by AICC general secretaries Randeep Surjewala and Jairam Ramesh.
The message came in the wake of followers of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy DK Shivakumar openly making statements about the leadership change in the Congress government.
Siddaramaiah's recent dinner with select Dalit and ST Cabinet colleagues at Minister Satish Jarkiholi's residence has created a buzz within the Congress, about a possible change of guard in the state after the state budget in March, under a "rotational chief minister" or a "power-sharing" formula. Such an agreement was reportedly arrived upon in 2023, following the party's win, with both Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar, who is now the Deputy CM, vying for the top post.
Apparently, Siddaramaiah assured the legislators in that meeting that he would issue orders for the "immediate release" of Rs 10 crore to each MLA for constituency development. He has also told them that more grants will be given in the upcoming budget.
"I will issue orders for the immediate release of Rs 10 crore to each MLA for constituency development. In the upcoming budget, I’ll provide more grants,” an MLA quoted Siddaramaiah.
