
BENGALURU: Concerned about the internal strife in the Congress and a power struggle threatening its unity, a group of senior Congress leaders met Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar at his residence in Sadashivanagar, raising alarm about growing factionalism within the party.
The group includes former ministers Rani Satish and BL Shankar, former MLCs Kondajji Mohan and PR Ramesh, former Legislative Council chairman VR Sudarshan, former MP VS Ugrappa, Chairman of Guarantees HM Revanna, former Backward Classes Commission chairman CS Dwarakanath, HS Chandramouli, Venkateshwar, Amarnath, and other influential figures.
The leaders, who have held key positions in the party, had met Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to advise him on the MUDA issue a few months ago. Now, they are focusing on the party’s internal divisions, warning that unless immediate action is taken, the future of Congress could be at risk.
The leaders voiced their concerns about the ongoing power struggles, particularly over the chief ministerial post. Shivakumar spoke to them frankly for over an hour about the rising tensions in the party.
Shivakumar asked the group how he could continue as the state president while engaging in factionalism. He emphasised the hard work he had put into building the party from the ground up, contrasting it with the previous leadership’s efforts. “When I was in Tihar Jail in 2022, Sonia Gandhi told me, ‘Don’t lose heart, strengthen the party’,” he recalled, as well as his efforts in leading the party to victory in the 2023 elections.
Shivakumar also spoke of other battles, like shielding Gujarat Congress MLAs during AICC general secretary Ahmed Patel’s election to the Rajya Sabha, and how the NDA-BJP had allegedly used the IT and ED against him. Despite the accusations, Shivakumar assured the group that the Congress leadership, specifically Sonia Gandhi, knew the full extent of his sacrifices and work in election victories. He recalled how, in spite of his best efforts to protect Congress MLAs, they were later poached by the BJP.
On their concerns over rising factionalism, Shivakumar reassured them that he and other leaders are committed to keeping the party united, despite the internal challenges.