‘DK, DK’ Slogans In Front of Siddaramaiah Makes Karnataka CM Angry

An uneasy rivalry inside the Karnataka Congress surfaced in public when Chief Minister Siddaramaiah snapped at Youth Congress workers during a protest in Bengaluru. The disruption, which unfolded on stage, highlighted tensions between Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar as competing chants interrupted the chief minister's planned address.

The demonstration had been called to oppose the Union government's decision to replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act with a fresh rural jobs scheme. The new programme, titled Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajivika Mission (Gramin), or VB-G RAM G, formed the core theme of the party's protest.

Karnataka Congress protest and key leaders on stage

Senior figures of the Karnataka Congress turned up for the rally, signalling its importance to the state unit. D K Shivakumar, Congress general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala, several ministers, MPs, MLAs and MLCs occupied the stage. Crowds of Youth Congress members gathered in front, waiting for speeches to begin as the event compere introduced leaders.

Tensions spiked when Siddaramaiah stood up to approach the microphone. As Siddaramaiah moved towards the podium, some Youth Congress groups started shouting "DK, DK," in support of Shivakumar. The chants grew stronger and repeated several times, drowning out preparations for the chief minister's address.

Karnataka Congress rift and Youth Congress sloganeering

Siddaramaiah attempted to start the speech, but the slogans continued to echo across the venue. The chief minister grew visibly irritated, asked for quiet, and turned to leaders on stage demanding to know who was encouraging the sloganeering. Despite those questions and requests, the shouts did not stop immediately.

The compere eventually stepped in, appealing to the Youth Congress members to stay silent and listen. The anchor reminded them that the chief minister needed to speak about the Centre's new employment plan. Even as Siddaramaiah began his remarks, scattered chants carried on during the early part of the address.

The episode again pointed to a power tussle inside the Karnataka Congress, where both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar are seen as separate centres of influence. A number of legislators previously voiced support for Shivakumar, which increased speculation about possible leadership changes within the state government and the party set-up.