Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge rebuked party workers in Bengaluru for chanting slogans praising Karnataka minister DK Shivakumar during a party event.
The incident highlights internal tensions regarding party discipline and the influence of regional leaders within the organization. Kharge sought to prioritize collective party goals over the elevation of specific individuals.
The confrontation occurred during the Sankalpa Samavesha, a Congress party programme held in Bengaluru [2]. During the event, workers began chanting "DK-DK" slogans in support of Shivakumar. Kharge interrupted the chants to address the crowd.
"You useless fellows..." Kharge said [1]. He warned the workers that such behavior would not be tolerated and threatened disciplinary action against those responsible for the disruptions [1].
Kharge said that the party cannot permit the cult of personality to overshadow its institutional objectives. He emphasized that the purpose of the gathering was to unify the party rather than celebrate a single politician.
"There is no worship of individuals here, we are here for the party programme which brings all of us together," Kharge said [1].
The Congress President stressed that party unity depends on adherence to discipline. He argued that the chants amounted to the worship of an individual, which he said could undermine the cohesion of the party [1].
“"You useless fellows..."”
This public rebuke serves as a signal from the party leadership to curb the growing influence of regional power centers. By explicitly condemning 'individual worship,' Kharge is attempting to reinforce a centralized command structure and prevent internal factionalism from disrupting official party proceedings.
