Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge rebuked party workers in Bengaluru for chanting slogans in support of Karnataka chief minister DK Shivakumar.

The incident highlights internal tensions regarding party discipline and the friction between state-level leadership cults and national party hierarchy.

Kharge issued the warning during the Sankalp Samavesha program, which was held during the swearing-in ceremony of BK Hariprasad [1, 2]. The party president interrupted the chanting to maintain order and focus on the organization rather than specific individuals.

"Keep quiet. Useless fellow," Kharge said to the workers [2].

Kharge said that the chants amounted to individual worship of a state leader rather than a focus on the party [1, 2]. He indicated that such behavior could undermine party discipline and would not be permitted under his leadership.

"I have over five decades of political experience; I will not tolerate such individual worship," Kharge said [1].

The Congress chief warned that those continuing to disrupt party events with individual-centric slogans could face disciplinary action [1, 2]. The party president emphasized that his political experience of over five decades [1] informs his stance on maintaining a collective party identity over the promotion of individual leaders.

The event in Bengaluru was intended to celebrate party milestones and organizational growth, but the confrontation shifted the focus toward the internal power dynamics within the Karnataka wing of the party [1, 2].

“"Keep quiet. Useless fellow."”

This confrontation reflects a broader struggle within the Indian National Congress to balance the influence of powerful regional leaders with the authority of the national presidency. By publicly reprimanding workers for 'individual worship,' Kharge is attempting to assert the primacy of the party structure over the personal popularity of state chiefs like DK Shivakumar.