All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala and Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar Tuesday cleared the air regarding speculations about a leadership transition in the state government, ruling out replacing Siddaramaiah as chief minister in the immediate future.

However, despite Shivakumar’s reprimand against MLAs asking him to be made the chief minister, his loyalist and Ramanagara MLA Iqbal Hussain stuck to his guns and said that an opportunity should be provided for Shivakumar to lead the government.

At a press conference, Surjewala, the AICC general secretary in charge of Karnataka, said consultations being held with Congress MLAs, MPs, MP candidates, and MLCs were not to take views on changing the leadership in the state. The meetings, he said, were to understand the works carried out by MLAs in their respective constituencies, examine the functioning of local Congress units, the status of Congress frontal organisations, and to assess the implementation of guarantee schemes.

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“Are we taking an opinion on leadership change? The answer is clearly no,” he said. Surjewala advised party MLAs not to make public remarks on the issue, saying, “What we deliberate within the party should remain within the party.”

Shivakumar said he would issue a notice to Hussain over his continued stance in favour of replacing Siddaramaiah as CM. “I will issue a notice to him. Nobody has to say that I will become CM. I will issue him a notice today or tomorrow. Siddaramaiah is our CM. We have to strengthen his hand,” he said.

The consultation by Surjewala was to bring discipline to the party. “Other than that, there is no talk of leadership change. Nobody among us is in a hurry (to become CM). For us, the 2028 Assembly polls are important,” he said.

Among the 20 MLAs Surjewala held consultations Tuesday was Hussain, who told reporters following the meeting that he had urged the Congress leadership to appoint Shivakumar as CM. “When he (Shivakumar) was appointed KPCC president, the Congress strength was 70-75 MLAs. He worked for the party, and the rest is history. He played a major role in forming the government,” said Hussain hours after Shivakumar warned MLAs against making statements over the issue.

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For Shivakumar to become CM, he must secure the support of MLAs along with a decision from the high command. “Several MLAs have sought the change. I have joined hands with them,” said Hussain.