Bengaluru: Internal power struggle within Congress in Karnataka, MUDA scam worth thousands of crores of rupees and the Rs. 187 crore scam in Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki ST Development Corporation figured prominently at Congress party meeting in New Delhi yesterday.

The meeting was chaired by AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge. Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and party leaders K.C. Venugopal, Randeep Singh Surjewala, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D.K. Shivakumar were also present.

The Congress high command reportedly pulled up Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar over the recent political developments that caused a big embarrassment to the party at the national level. The high command has sought an explanation from Siddaramaiah regarding corruption allegations against him and the State Government that came to power with a huge majority.

Siddaramaiah, however, told the party bosses that the Opposition parties targeted him and his Cabinet Ministers though they had no role in the scam in the Valmiki Corporation and irregularities in the allotment of sites by MUDA.

Embarrassment to party Kharge and Rahul Gandhi are said to have expressed displeasure over corruption, which was even debated at the national level in the Parliament, embarrassing the party that is trying to emerge as champions of SC, ST and OBC communities.

The leaders told the CM that the scam in Valmiki Corporation has dented the party’s image and they cannot defend themselves in the Parliament. They also sought details of the case from a senior IAS Officer.

The meeting discussed these concerns and the possibility of the next move and how the Government should go about it, sources said, adding they also discussed political fallout with BJP trying to leverage the situation by launching a padayatra from Bengaluru to Mysuru.

Additionally, internal discord has raised alarms for the high command. Tensions have emerged as senior party members, including Ministers K.N. Rajanna, Dr. H.C. Mahadevappa and Satish Jarkiholi, who are known supporters of Siddaramaiah, are reportedly seeking D.K. Shivakumar’s replacement as KPCC President.

Some seniors from the anti-Siddaramaiah faction are believed to have communicated complaints to the high command regarding the CM’s leadership.

Siddaramaiah later told reporters that he informed the high command about the ‘revenge’ politics by BJP and JD(S).

Rahul Gandhi told Karnataka leaders to look at the reasons behind party’s performance in the LS poll and why it failed to win as many seats as it was expecting and work in that direction.