A swearing-in ceremony meant to mark a new chapter for Karnataka Congress turned into a moment of open embarrassment on Sunday, when party workers broke into loud chants in support of Chief Minister DK Shivakumar. As cries of 'DK-DK' kept echoing through the venue during BK Hariprasad's oath-taking as the new state Congress president, party chief Mallikarjun Kharge lost his composure and publicly dressed down the crowd from the stage itself.
Kharge's Sharp Rebuke From the Stage
Speaking with undisguised irritation, Kharge told the workers: 'Sit quietly... it seems like you think the entire country is in your hands. Useless fellows!' He made his position plain: this was a Congress party event and not a platform for anyone to flaunt support for a single leader. He reminded those present that every leader and worker had gathered there to strengthen and unite the party, and that chanting one individual's name at such a forum was entirely out of place.
When the noise continued unabated, Kharge grew sharper still. 'If one person shouts one name and another shouts a different leader's name, what are the rest of you here for — to sweep the floor?' he asked. He then escalated his warning to include formal disciplinary action, saying that complete footage of those involved in the sloganeering existed and that he would take action against them after reviewing the videos.
Shivakumar Also Tried to Quieten the Crowd
Chief Minister DK Shivakumar appeared visibly uneasy with the scene unfolding around him. Video from the event shows him rising from his seat and gesturing to his supporters to sit down and stop the chanting. His efforts did not have much effect, however, and the commotion continued until Kharge stepped in with his pointed intervention.
The Long Shadow of Karnataka Congress's Internal Tensions
To fully grasp why this incident carries such significance, it is worth recalling the internal politics that have marked Karnataka Congress over the past few years. After the party's victory in the 2023 assembly elections, a prolonged contest broke out between Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar over who would lead the government. The party high command ultimately chose Siddaramaiah as Chief Minister while Shivakumar was assigned the role of Deputy Chief Minister.
Talk of a 'rotation formula' — under which the leadership would change hands after two and a half years — stayed alive throughout this period. Once Siddaramaiah's government reached that milestone, the Shivakumar camp stepped up pressure for a switch. Congress's central leadership, keeping upcoming electoral calculations in mind, eventually gave the green light. On May 28, Siddaramaiah resigned as Chief Minister, and DK Shivakumar took oath as his successor a few days later.
The Fault Lines Are Still Visible
The sloganeering at the swearing-in ceremony and Kharge's fierce reaction to it are being widely read as evidence that the factional fault lines within Karnataka Congress have not disappeared. The party leadership is actively trying to project unity ahead of the 2028 assembly elections. But Sunday's episode sent a clear signal that the divisions between the two camps remain very much alive, and the task of genuine reconciliation within the Karnataka unit is still far from complete.
