Amid dissent, Surjewala to meet Karnataka Congress MLAs today | Bengaluru News

Bengaluru: Congress national general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala is scheduled to arrive in Bengaluru on Monday and is likely to interact with party legislators. The visit comes at a time when several senior legislators have embarrassed the party with allegations of corruption in govt, lack of funds for constituency development and a “political revolution” later this year. However, senior functionaries insist Surjewala’s visit has nothing to do with speculation of a change at the helm in either party or govt.“Since some MLAs aired grievances, Surjewala will hear and speak to them in groups,” said GC Chandrasekhar, KPCC working president. “Reports of a leadership change are baseless. It will not be discussed during Surjewala’s meeting with MLAs.”During his three-day visit, Surjewala will meet MLAs from Mysuru and Bengaluru divisions. He will separately meet senior legislators including BR Patil, Raju Kage, and Basavaraj Rayareddi, who are among those who expressed displeasure over the functioning of the govt.Responding to reporters on Surjewala’s visit, Congress state president and deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar said: “Yes, he will meet MLAs personally. He has already informed them about it. I will also send out messages to MLAs regarding his visit.”Meanwhile, in Belagavi: Public works minister Satish Jarkiholi played down comments by cabinet colleague KN Rajanna who had suggested a change at the helm of the state Congress unit, insisting that it was “his personal opinion and were not new”.Rajanna, who had forecast “a political revolution” in the state after September, had suggested Jarkiholi would replace deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar as KPCC president later this year.Speaking to reporters in Gokak late on Saturday, Jarkiholi said: “Rajanna had made similar remarks previously. The high command decides everything, including whether there should be a revolution or not in the state.”He also brushed aside speculation on his visit to New Delhi last week, insisting that he was merely part of chief minister Siddaramaiah’s entourage.