Did Congress MLAs in Karnataka Meet Surjewala Amid Infighting Rumors?

Bengaluru, June 30 (NationPress) - A gathering of Karnataka Congress MLAs took place at the Congress office in Bengaluru on Monday, where they engaged in one-on-one discussions with General Secretary and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala to voice their concerns.

The discussions emerged amid public dissent from several Congress legislators against the state government, with some even hinting at potential resignations.

Surjewala, however, sought to downplay the situation, asserting that these meetings were a part of an organizational strategy.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge informed the media that Surjewala would compile a report post-discussions, detailing the issues raised and the necessary actions to be taken.

“We will take into account the steps needed based on the insights he shares,” stated the Congress President.

Among the attendees was B. R. Patil, Congress MLA and Deputy Chairman of the State Policy and Planning Commission, who had previously raised concerns regarding corruption within the Housing Department.

Patil mentioned, "I had a thorough discussion with Surjewala sir, who documented everything. The decision on the next steps rests with him. No directives were issued."

Senior MLA Raju Kage, who had previously threatened to resign, chose not to meet Surjewala during this session, indicating he would participate in subsequent discussions.

Following the initial round of talks, Surjewala remarked, “This is an organizational exercise being jointly conducted by the AICC and KPCC. We are meeting each MLA individually and those aligned with the Congress party.”

He elaborated that the goal of this initiative is to evaluate governance after two years in office and to assess the execution of the five critical Congress guarantees in each constituency.

“Karnataka stands out as the only state in the nation that has transferred ₹58,000 crores directly into the accounts of its citizens. We have allocated nearly ₹24,000 crores to 1.22 crore women at ₹2,000 per month to mitigate the inflation impact caused by the BJP-led central government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” he stated.

Surjewala also highlighted that over 300 crore women have benefited from free travel under the Shakti scheme in RTC buses. Additionally, as part of the Gruha Jyoti scheme, 1.66 crore households enjoy 200 units of free electricity to alleviate financial stress.

He further mentioned that over four crore individuals receive 10 kilograms of rice under the Anna Bhagya scheme, while close to four lakh youths have been granted scholarships ranging from ₹1,500 to ₹3,000 monthly for two years after completing their diploma or degree.

Surjewala noted that the evaluation also encompasses the performance of Congress organizational units such as block and assembly-level committees, NSUI, Youth Congress, Seva Dal, SC/ST, Minority, and OBC departments.

“This review aims to determine if these bodies need restructuring. We are also identifying developmental projects that are pending to provide the necessary assistance,” he emphasized.

He stressed that input from MLAs will guide ministers and the Chief Minister on governance priorities, adding, “We also want to explore further initiatives that benefit the public, such as the regularization of nearly 10,000 sanitation workers in Bengaluru after decades.”

Referring to the recent visit of the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, celebrating two years of Congress governance in Karnataka, Surjewala noted that over one lakh house ownership records were distributed to families living on the outskirts of villages by converting them into revenue villages.

He concluded that discussions with MLAs from two divisions have been completed so far, and he plans to return next week to engage with the remaining legislators. “Following that, I will also meet with all defeated candidates,” he stated.