Surjewala to meet Karnataka Congress MLAs amid growing dissent over corruption, funds and leadership shake-up buzz

Congress national general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala is set to visit Bengaluru on Monday to meet Karnataka MLAs, just as dissent within the party begins to surface. The visit follows several senior Congress legislators publicly expressing dissatisfaction with the state government, alleging corruption, lack of development funds, and even predicting a “political revolution” later this year, according to TOI.

While speculation swirls over possible changes in party leadership, senior Congress leaders have denied any such plan. “Surjewala is only visiting to hear out grievances. Some MLAs had concerns, and he will talk to them in small groups,” KPCC working president GC Chandrasekhar said. “There is no discussion on leadership change. Such reports are completely baseless.”

During his three-day stay, Surjewala is expected to meet MLAs from the Bengaluru and Mysuru regions. He will also hold separate talks with legislators like BR Patil, Raju Kage, and Basavaraj Rayareddi, who are among those unhappy with the government's functioning.


Congress state president and deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar confirmed the meetings. “He (Surjewala) will personally meet MLAs. He has already informed them, and I will also send messages to them about his visit,” Shivakumar told reporters.

In Belagavi, public works minister Satish Jarkiholi dismissed speculation about a change in the party's leadership, responding to earlier comments by his colleague KN Rajanna. Rajanna had claimed that a major shake-up was coming after September, hinting that Jarkiholi could take over as KPCC president from DK Shivakumar.

Brushing off the remarks, Jarkiholi said in Gokak, “Rajanna has said this before too. But it’s always the party high command that decides such things.”

He also said his recent visit to Delhi was only part of the chief minister’s official trip and had no political motive.

Inputs from TOI