Home minister Parameshwara calls meeting with BK Hariprasad a ‘courtesy call’, denies leadership talks

BENGALURU: Home Minister G Parameshwara on Saturday clarified that his recent meeting with Congress leader B K Hariprasad was merely a “courtesy interaction,” dismissing speculation that the discussion was linked to any leadership change in the state.

Addressing reporters here, Parameshwara said the meeting included Hariprasad and MLA Jamir Ahmad, during which they primarily discussed political developments and elections in other states. “Hariprasad told me that he had met the Chief Minister, but he did not disclose what was discussed; he only mentioned that the meeting had taken place,” he said.

#WATCH | Bengaluru: On CM tussle in Karnataka, State Minister G. Parameshwara says, “Hariprasad told me that he met the Chief Minister. But he didn’t disclose what the discussion was about. Hariprasad, Zameer Ahmed and I also met, and had dinner together. We discussed about the… pic.twitter.com/OKvM1S7qc0

— ANI (@ANI) May 2, 2026

He added that the interaction remained informal and focused on broader political analysis rather than internal leadership matters. “We also met, Hariprasad, myself, and Jamir Ahmad. We had dinner together and discussed the elections in five different states. We analyzed what might happen at the national level and, naturally, also discussed the political developments in our state,” Parameshwara stated.

Rejecting speculation about any leadership tussle, he asserted, “We didn’t discuss anything about the Chief Minister aspect or any other these kind of political developments.” He further added that any visit to Delhi would be need-based. “When it is necessary, I will definitely go to Delhi. Nobody can stop me going to Delhi. I will go to Delhi when it is required,” he said.

Earlier, Parameshwara had welcomed Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s statement ruling out any leadership change in Karnataka, calling it a “full stop” to ongoing speculation. He said Kharge’s word, along with that of senior leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, is final within the party.

“Kharge is the supreme authority. Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi are the high command. If such words come from them, they must be accepted… there is a full stop to the issue,” he said.

Touching upon the broader electoral landscape, Parameshwara expressed optimism about the Congress’s prospects in multiple states. He said ground reports from Kerala suggest a favourable outcome for the party, while in West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee appears to retain strong support despite mixed feedback.

He added that indications in Tamil Nadu favour the DMK, while surveys in Assam suggest a possible return of the BJP, noting that the final outcome will be clear once results are declared. (ANI)