Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge said party workers were scolded for chanting slogans in support of D K Shivakumar during a meeting in Bengaluru [1, 2].
The incident highlights visible internal friction within the Karnataka Congress unit, where supporters of the current chief minister are clashing with national leadership guidelines.
During the gathering, supporters began chanting "DK DK" for D K Shivakumar [1, 2]. Kharge reacted with anger to the disruption, telling the crowd to keep quiet and calling the supporters "useless fellows" [1, 2].
The rebuke occurred as the party manages a complex internal dynamic involving Chief Minister Shivakumar and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah [1, 3]. While some reports characterize the event as an open rebellion within the state unit, others focus on the party's administrative efforts, such as potential cabinet expansions and meetings between Karnataka leaders and top Congress leadership in Delhi [1, 3].
Observers said the chanting reflects growing frustration among the party's rank-and-file cadres [1, 2]. This dissent is reportedly tied to perceived favoritism, and ongoing power struggles within the state's political hierarchy [1, 2].
External political opponents have also weighed in on the situation. The BJP has used the internal instability to accuse the Karnataka Congress of wrongdoing, framing the friction as a sign of broader systemic failure within the state government [3].
Kharge's reaction underscores the tension between the national party's desire for discipline and the localized power bases of state leaders. The clash in Bengaluru serves as a public manifestation of the struggle to balance competing factions within the Karnataka Congress [1, 2].
“"Keep quiet, useless fellows"”
The public confrontation between Mallikarjun Kharge and the Karnataka cadres signals a breakdown in party discipline. By labeling supporters as 'useless fellows,' the national president is attempting to assert authority over a state unit where the popularity of D K Shivakumar may be challenging the established party hierarchy. This instability provides a strategic opening for the BJP to frame the Congress government as fragmented and unstable.
