Sun Jan 19 16:29:33 UTC 2025: ## Karnataka Ministers Remain Silent on Leadership Amidst Kharge’s Warning
**Bengaluru, January 19, 2025** – Following a warning from AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge against public discussions of leadership issues, several Karnataka Ministers have fallen silent on the matter. Minister for Large and Medium Industries, M.B. Patil, while defending Kharge’s call for party discipline, emphasized the party’s unity and the high command’s ultimate authority. He dismissed claims of internal conflict, contrasting the situation with alleged infighting within the BJP. Patil also reiterated a claim that 25 legislators from the BJP and JD(S) are poised to join the Congress. He further refuted accusations from Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy of a lack of cooperation from the state government on industrial growth.
Home Minister G. Parameshwara declined to comment on the leadership issue, citing Kharge’s directive to focus on party work. Housing Minister B.Z. Zameer Ahmed Khan similarly emphasized the high command’s authority and dismissed speculation about the positions of KPCC president and Chief Minister. Forest Minister Ishwar Khandre affirmed the party’s commitment to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s leadership for the next five years. The ministers’ responses follow a period of more vocal debate on the leadership within the Karnataka Congress party.
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