# Kharge Erupts at Congress Workers Over DK Shivakumar Chants at Karnataka Swearing-In Event > Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge publicly rebuked party workers who chanted slogans for Chief Minister DK Shivakumar during the swearing-in of Karnataka's new state Congress president BK Hariprasad. He warned of disciplinary action after reviewing footage and made clear the event was a Congress party function, not a stage for promoting any one leader. **Type:** article · **Category:** India · **Published:** 2026-06-22 · **Source:** TrendKia **Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/national/kharge-ka-gussa-phuta-mncha-para-bk-hariprasad-ke-shapatha-samaroha-men-dk-dk-naron-para-karyakartaon-ko-lagai-kari-phatakara-2297 · **Language:** English **Tags:** Mallikarjun Kharge, DK Shivakumar, Karnataka Congress, BK Hariprasad, Congress discipline, sloganeering controversy, Karnataka politics, Congress factionalism 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. ## What this means for you - **In Karnataka:** The open display of factional rivalry within the ruling party raises concerns about political stability ahead of the 2028 assembly elections, which could affect governance and the pace of development in the state. - **Across India:** A public falling-out of this kind within Congress may dent the party's national image at a time when it is working to project itself as a cohesive opposition force. ## Questions & Answers ### 1. At which event did Kharge lose his temper? He became angry at the swearing-in ceremony of BK Hariprasad, the newly appointed Karnataka Congress state president. ### 2. Whose supporters were chanting slogans? Workers were chanting 'DK-DK' in support of Chief Minister DK Shivakumar. ### 3. What did Kharge say to the workers? He told them to 'sit quietly' and called them 'useless fellows,' warning that he would take disciplinary action after reviewing footage of the sloganeering. ### 4. Did DK Shivakumar respond to the situation? Yes, video shows him standing and signalling his supporters to sit down and stop the chanting. ### 5. When did Siddaramaiah resign as Chief Minister? Siddaramaiah resigned as Chief Minister on May 28. ### 6. When did DK Shivakumar become Karnataka's Chief Minister? DK Shivakumar took oath as Chief Minister a few days after Siddaramaiah's resignation. ### 7. What was the rotation formula in Karnataka Congress? It was an understanding under which the Chief Minister post would change after two and a half years, which ultimately led to Shivakumar replacing Siddaramaiah. ### 8. Why does this incident matter for Karnataka Congress? It is being seen as a sign that factional tensions within the party are still alive, even as the leadership tries to project unity ahead of the 2028 assembly elections. --- _TrendKia — Har trend, sabse pehle.. Machine-readable view; canonical HTML at the URL above._