Amid rising speculation about internal discord within the Karnataka Congress, AICC general secretary and the party’s Karnataka in-charge, Randeep Singh Surjewala, firmly denied any efforts to gather feedback on a leadership change. Speaking at a press conference in Bengaluru, Surjewala clarified that his ongoing meetings with MLAs and MPs were focused solely on reviewing their constituency work.

"Some of you asked if I am seeking opinions on changing leadership. I said this yesterday and I’ll say it again — the answer is a clear ‘no’," he stated. Seated beside Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, Surjewala explained that he had met with elected representatives and candidates from both the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections as part of a routine performance assessment.

He also dismissed concerns from a few MLAs regarding development work in their constituencies, asserting that the state had ample funds for progress. "This narrative is being pushed by the BJP. They want to derail the guarantee schemes," he alleged.

Surjewala further claimed that BJP leaders like R Ashoka and BY Vijayendra were attempting to sabotage the Congress-led welfare guarantees, preventing ₹58,000 crore from reaching the people of Karnataka through transparent means.

Meanwhile, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge addressed similar leadership concerns, stating that any decision regarding the chief ministership lies with the party high command.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy DK Shivakumar also projected a united front, refuting rumours of a rift. Siddaramaiah asserted that the Karnataka Congress was "solid as a rock." Supporting this stance, Karnataka minister HK Patil reiterated that Surjewala’s visit had no link to any leadership change.

"This is purely a party review. Kharge ji has made it clear, and so has Surjewala. The meetings are about constituencies and organisational matters, not leadership changes," Patil told ANI.

The Congress has been governing Karnataka since 2023, with Siddaramaiah as chief minister and DK Shivakumar serving as his deputy.