Rahul Gandhi asks Siddaramaiah, D K Shivakumar to work unitedly

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday asked former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddarmaiah and state unit president D K Shivakumar to work unitedly, putting aside their differences to strengthen the organisation.

Gandhi, who chaired a meeting attended by both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, told them that they should work for the party without bothering who should be the next Chief Ministerial candidate.

Gandhi also told them that the party legislators and the high command will decide who should be the next CM, sources in the Congress told DH.

Rahul Gandhi's intervention to resolve the internal bickering in the state came in the background of continued statements by a section of leaders demanding to project Siddaramaiah as the next Chief Ministerial candidate.

Also read — D K Shivakumar hails Siddaramaiah's administration as the chief minister

In the meeting, which was also attended by Congress General Secretary ( Organisation) K C Venugopal and General Secretary (incharge Karnataka) Randeep Surjewala, Rahul Gandhi is learnt to have told them that continuing internal differences will harm the party prospects. "Leaders should not spoil the bright future of the party. The party will take care of every interest of its leaders," Gandhi said.

He also asked the party to take advantage of the infighting in the BJP led government.

Gandhi also held exclusive talks with Siddaramaiah.

Later, Surjewala told reporters that the party will fight unitedly in Karnataka and elected legislators and high command will jointly decide on who should be the next Chief Minister. He also said there is no confusion in the party on who should be the next Chief Minister.

Siddaramaiah also echoed the same and said the party has not discussed revamping of block and district level office bearers.