"Disrespect to Dalit leader": BJP's Poonawalla slams Congress on Kharge's remark

New Delhi [India], July 1 (ANI): BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla on Tuesday said that Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge's remark that the decision to change the Karnataka Chief Minister was in the hands of the "party high command" proved he has "no power" despite being the party chief.
He further stated that Kharge has exposed that all major decisions are taken by the Congress high command and not the party president.
"Mallikarjun Kharge just revealed the open secret that he is the Congress National President, but he does not have power. He holds the post, but it is the family that is heard. He exposed that all the major decisions are taken by the party's high command, not the party's National President. Just like Manmohan Singh was a remote control Prime Minister with (Gandhi) family being the power centre...Kharge also finds himself in a similar situation...This also shows that they are disrespecting a Dalit leader," Poonwalla told ANI.
His remarks come after Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge broke his silence amid the speculation of a possible change in Karnataka Congress leadership. Kharge said that the decision to change the Chief Minister was in the hands of the party high command.
"It is in the hands of the party high command. No one can say what is going on in the high command. It is left to the high command, and they have the right to take further action, but no one should create problems unnecessarily," Kharge said.
Meanwhile, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar today attempted to cap speculation on possible leadership change in the State, asserting that his priority remains to help partymen win the Assembly elections.
"There is no change of leadership. I don't want anyone's support. My priority is for them (the party legislators) to win back the assembly elections," Shivakumar told ANI.
Reiterating that Congress General Secretary and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Surjewala's meeting with party MLAs today was not on the subject of changing leadership in Karnataka, the Deputy Chief Minister clarified that there were no groups in Congress and everyone stood united. He said that Congress would instead focus on the upcoming elections in the state.
"I don't want any recommendation from party legislators. My duty is to keep the party alive, give more strength to the discipline of the party. We have to concentrate on local body elections and the 2028 assembly elections...This exercise is not for a change. I am not for a change. There are no groups in the Congress party, we are united," Shivakumar said.
He warned the Congress MLAs pushing for a change in the party's state leadership that action will be taken against them if they continue to "speak more" over this issue. (ANI)