‘Watchman of Gandhi family’: BJP slams Kharge's ‘Congress high command’ remark amid Karnataka power tussle

DAy after us congress subject chairwoman Mallikarjun Kharge's input o'er leadership change in Karnataka, Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council, Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, slammed Kharge and said, "He is like a watchman of the Gandhi family."Speculation is rife regarding the chief minister change in Karnataka, amid which, Kharge on Sunday said that the Congress high command will decide whatever it is, adding that he has nothing to say on the matter for now."I have nothing to say about the developments that have happened. So you (media) standing here is a waste of your time and I too feel bad. Whatever it is, the high command will do it. There is no need for you to worry more about it," Kharge told reporters in Bengaluru.Several opposition leaders took a jibe at Kharge and asked, being the national president of the Congress party, if he is not the high command, then who else is.ALSO READ | 'Speculation, creation of media': Siddaramaiah on Karnataka leadership changeChalavadi Narayanaswamy, LoP in the Legislative Council, told reporters on Monday, "Congress thinks that Mallikarjun Kharge is not a full-fledged president. He is like a watchman of the Gandhi family. He is taking care of some issues, that's all... He himself said he is helpless and can't do anything. He says he will talk to High Command."Narayanaswamy asked who the high command of Congress is. "Priyanka Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi or Sonia Gandhi? You (Mallikarjun Kharge) are the AICC president; you should be the high command. But if you are helpless, then your position is understood by the people of India," he added.Earlier, BJP MLA Suresh Kumar also hit out at the Congress chief in a post on X and asked, "If Congress Party National President is NOT the High Command, then who else! It is really ridiculous."Leader of Opposition in the state assembly, R Ashoka, said that Kharge's helplessness reflects his real status within the Congress party."The fake Gandhis who have made Kharge the national president just for name sake, by keeping all the power with themselves, are insulting a senior politician like Kharge," he wrote in a post on X.With the intensifying power struggle within the ruling party, speculations over a change in the chief minister in Karnataka have not taken a rest. Tensions heightened after the Congress government in the state hit the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20.ALSO READ | 'All 140 MLAs are my MLAs': DK Shivakumar responds to speculation around Karnataka CM's seat, possible cabinet reshuffleMeanwhile, chief minister Siddaramaiah has held two meetings with Kharge in less than a week. Similar to his responses before, on Monday as well, he asserted that if the Congress high command decides he should continue in the CM post, he will do so.He further said that the ultimate decision lies with the high command, and whatever they say, he and his deputy DK Shivakumar should accept it."We will abide by the high command decision. If they decide I should continue (as CM), I will continue. Ultimately, whatever the high command decides, I should accept it. Shivakumar should also accept it," Siddaramaiah told reporters.ALSO READ | No change in Karnataka CM? Siddaramaiah calls it ‘unnecessary debate’, says ‘power is secure’The CM said that four to five months ago, the high command had agreed to a Cabinet reshuffle in Karnataka, but he had suggested that the administration be allowed to complete 2.5 years in office. "Now we will follow whatever the high command decides," Siddaramaiah added.Siddaramaiah's meeting with Kharge came after some legislators, who back Shivakumar, travelled to Delhi and met the Congress chief. However, Shivakumar had then said that he was not aware of the legislators travelling to the capital to meet Kharge.Another batch of six Congress leaders, supporting Shivakumar, flew to New Delhi on Sunday night to meet the Congress high command, news agency PTI reported, citing party sources.Few more legislators are reportedly expected to travel to Delhi to soon to pitch for DK Shivakumar as Karnataka CM.