Source Deccan Herald
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah appeared visibly irritated during a Congress party event after a section of the crowd began chanting the name of Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar (DKS), triggering an awkward moment on stage and reigniting speculation about internal party dynamics.
The incident took place at a public programme attended by senior Congress leaders and party workers. As Siddaramaiah was addressing the gathering, chants praising D.K. Shivakumar grew louder, briefly disrupting the Chief Minister’s speech. Siddaramaiah paused mid-address and reportedly expressed his displeasure, urging party workers to maintain discipline and focus on the programme rather than slogans.
Eyewitnesses said the Chief Minister’s reaction reflected clear annoyance, as he reminded the audience that the event was organised by the party and not meant to project individual leaders. His remarks were met with mixed reactions, with some supporters applauding his call for unity while others appeared uncomfortable with the public display of discord.
The episode has once again brought attention to the perceived rivalry between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, both influential leaders within the Karnataka Congress. Although the party leadership has consistently maintained that there are no differences between the two, such incidents continue to fuel speculation about power equations within the state unit.
Senior Congress leaders later attempted to downplay the incident, stating that emotions often run high at political gatherings and that the party remains united under the leadership of both the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister.
Despite the brief disruption, the event continued as planned, with leaders reiterating the Congress government’s commitment to governance, development, and fulfilling its pre-election promises in Karnataka.
