Bengaluru, June 30 (UNI) Karnataka Home Minister and senior Congress leader Dr G Parameshwara today hinted at growing concern within the party over recent public statements by Congress legislators regarding leadership change in the state, stating that a "Lakshman Rekha" had been crossed by some individuals, and the matter may be examined by the All India Congress Committee (AICC).

"Now they have individually expressed their opinions. To some extent, I don’t think it is wrong. But then again, there is a 'Lakshman Rekha' that the party has drawn. Beyond that point, you should not go. The AICC will probably look into that through the general secretary in charge," Parameshwara told reporters here, in response to queries on whether public dissent by party MLAs warranted disciplinary attention.

His remarks come amid a flurry of statements from Congress legislators over the past two weeks, with some openly suggesting a change in leadership in Karnataka, possibly replacing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah with Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar within the next few months.

When asked about any timeline or formal decision regarding the speculated leadership transition, Parameshwara denied any knowledge. "Forget about October or September… I don’t know anything about that," he said, dismissing rumours that a power-sharing agreement was already in place.

Parameshwara clarified that AICC General Secretary and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala’s frequent visits to the state were not necessarily connected to the issue of governance or leadership change. “He keeps visiting Karnataka to look into various aspects—not necessarily government issues. Politically, it’s about strengthening the party, evaluating party programmes, and naturally, if there are any disturbances within the party or in the government, he will guide us,” he explained.

He added that Surjewala’s visit could also be in response to recent developments within the Congress legislative party. “As you have seen over the last one or two weeks, there were MLAs’ statements. Maybe, I don’t know, maybe that also he may look into,” he said.

The Congress party has been battling internal tensions since forming the government in Karnataka in May 2023, with periodic rumours of a rift between the Chief Minister and his deputy. While the high command has maintained a measured silence, Parameshwara’s comments indicate that the AICC may be preparing to step in and manage factional expressions before they impact governance or party cohesion.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is expected to seize on Parameshwara’s remarks, particularly his reference to crossing a “Lakshman Rekha” and the potential involvement of the AICC. The opposition is likely to frame this as evidence of a leadership crisis, factionalism, and Delhi’s remote control over the Karnataka Congress.

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