Amid the growing speculation over a potential leadership change in Karnataka, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge addressed the issue, stating that the decision lies in the hands of the party’s high command. Responding to media questions, Kharge remarked, “It is in the hands of the party high command. No one can say what is going on in the high command,” suggesting that the leadership change, rumored to see D.K. Shivakumar as the next Chief Minister, will be decided by the Congress leadership. He emphasized that unnecessary issues should not be created regarding the matter.

However, BJP MP Tejasvi Surya seized the moment to mock the Congress's consistent reference to the “high command.” Surya sarcastically asked on X, “The Congress High Command is like a ghost. It is unseen, unheard, but always felt. Even the Congress President whispers its name and says it’s not him. So eerie!” His comment highlights the ongoing uncertainty and the lack of clarity surrounding the identity of the so-called "high command."

The issue of leadership in Karnataka has been a point of contention within the Congress party, with leaders split between supporting current CM Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar for the top position. The Congress leadership’s repeated statements that “it is for the high command to decide” only add to the mystery and growing frustration within the state unit. Meanwhile, Randeep Surjewala, Congress’s Karnataka in-charge, is reportedly in Bengaluru meeting with around 100 MLAs in what is believed to be a damage-control exercise, as the party tries to address the internal division and ensure unity ahead of the crucial decision.