AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge and BJP MP Lahar Singh Siroya
The Opposition parties in Karnataka, the BJP and the JD(S), have questioned the authority of Mallikarjun Kharge as Congress president after he said the party's "high command" would decide on the issue of the Karnataka Chief Minister.
While the BJP sought to know from Kharge if he had forgotten that he is the AICC president, the JD(S) labelled him a 'rubber-stamp' president.
A day after his more-than-an-hour-long meeting with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, the AICC chief told reporters outside his residence: "I have nothing to say about the developments that have happened. So you (the 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."
Reacting to this, the BJP in a post on X on Monday asked if Kharge has forgotten that he is the AICC president.
"Have you forgotten that you are the AICC president or is the presidency just for the name? If the post is yours, why is the power with the fake Gandhi family? Why are you in such a helpless state, Mr Kharge? Isn't this an insult to all Kannadigas?" the BJP said in the post.
The JD(S) asked Kharge if he is the AICC president or in charge of Karnataka Congress.
"From these helpless words, it becomes clear that even if you are the president, you have no authority to make any decisions. It is being proven that you are a 'rubber stamp president', and along with that, it has exposed the slavery within the Congress party to the whole world," the JD(S) said in a post.
Meanwhile, BJP Rajya Sabha member Lahar Singh Siroya said, "Kharge ji is the party president, but who is this high command? This shows there is dynastic politics. He must be considering Rahul Gandhi has the high command."
Siroya said he hopes the Congress finds a solution to the issue soon in the interest of both party and the State. "I hope they find a solution soon, as it is not good for both Congress and the State. Given the current conduct of the Congress, it is clear that it will be in a much worse state in the coming elections. I don't know what is happening within their party, but it is certainly affecting the State of Karnataka," he said.