Bengaluru/New Delhi: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge publicly reprimanded party workers after they disrupted a Congress event with slogans in support of Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, underscoring concerns over discipline and factionalism within the party.
The incident occurred during the swearing-in ceremony of veteran Congress leader BK Hariprasad as the party’s new state unit president. As supporters repeatedly raised “DK-DK” chants, apparently backing Shivakumar, an irritated Kharge interrupted the proceedings and ordered them to remain silent.
According to videos from the event that are doing the rounds on social media, Kharge sharply rebuked the slogan-shouting workers, calling them “useless fellows” and reminding them that the gathering was a Congress Party programme aimed at strengthening the organisation rather than promoting any individual leader. He stressed that the event was meant to unite party members and not become a platform for competing displays of loyalty.
As the commotion continued, Shivakumar himself attempted to pacify the crowd. Visuals showed the chief minister standing up and gesturing to supporters to sit down and allow the programme to proceed.
Kharge warned that if supporters of different leaders continued shouting individual names, it would undermine the purpose of the party meeting. The outburst highlighted the Congress leadership’s emphasis on organisational discipline amid ongoing political activity in Karnataka.
The episode has drawn attention because it unfolded at a significant party event marking BK Hariprasad’s assumption of a key organisational role in the state. Political observers see the incident as a reminder of the challenges the Congress faces in balancing internal rivalries while projecting unity ahead of future electoral battles
