Bengaluru, Feb 17 (NationPress) Karnataka's Minister for RDPR, IT, and BT, Priyank Kharge, who is the son of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, addressed the media on Tuesday, aiming to minimize the uproar surrounding the foreign trip undertaken by several Congress MLAs during the ongoing leadership crisis.

He pointed out that these legislators had previously taken a similar trip abroad last year, questioning if permission was necessary for a private journey.

While speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Kharge stated, “I am unaware of who has instructed them against the trip. There is no link between their travel plans and the preparation of the state budget.”

When queried about the group travel of the legislators, Kharge emphasized that they had traveled together in the past, a fact that went unnoticed by the media. “They have traveled before, and they will again. The legislators would have approached the Chief Minister directly to express their needs concerning their constituencies,” he noted.

He further probed, “Is there any regulation that prohibits foreign trips? Is it unlawful? Is it unconstitutional? Or is it necessary to seek permission from the high command? No. Is government approval required? It is not.”

“They are undertaking a personal trip as friends. What is there to object to?” he added.

In response to allegations that Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar had purportedly advised the legislators against the trip, Kharge remarked, “How did you come by this information? To my knowledge, no one has contacted the legislators.”

It is important to note that amidst escalating power-sharing disputes within the Congress government in Karnataka, a faction of like-minded party MLAs, primarily aligned with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, is set to embark on a foreign tour, sparking renewed political discussion, according to party sources.

This situation arises even after Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge urged state leaders to put aside differences and progress through consensus, highlighting its significance in the current leadership struggle in Karnataka.

Sources indicate that approximately 27 Congress MLAs and members of the State Legislative Council had initially intended to participate in the tour to Australia and New Zealand.

This number was later adjusted to around 20 Congress MLAs, with six to seven MLCs also likely to join.

Despite the uncertainty, the group is expected to depart from Bengaluru on the evening of February 17 and is anticipated to return on March 1, as confirmed by Congress sources.

According to insiders, the planned foreign tour aims to mitigate statements regarding state leadership made by Deputy Chief Minister and State Congress President D.K. Shivakumar and his faction.