Cong to fight Karna polls under collective leadership: Kharge

Congress would face the election under a collective leadership and the party high command would decide the Chief Minister after winning the polls, Kharge, one of the potential candidates for the top post, told reporters here.

Kharge, however, sidestepped a question whether he was in the race for the chief minister's post, saying "First we should all work towards bringing the party back to power. The Congress is out of power in Karnataka for more than six years", he said.

The state Congress has several contenders for the prime post including Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Siddaramaiah and KPCC President G Parameshwar. Former External Affairs Minister S M Krishna's exit from the union cabinet has fuelled speculations about his future role.

Kharge claimed people were "disillusioned" with the BJP Government as it was immersed in internal bickering and neglected the state's development.

"The Congress will bring the administrative failures of BJP Government, its mudslinging activities to the people's notice and seek a mandate for party", he said at the meet organised by the Bangalore Reporters' Guild and Press Club of Bangalore.

He said the state party unit would decide on admitting leaders from other political parties ahead of the election in the wake of some leaders evincing interest to join Congress.