Leadership Turmoil in Karnataka Congress Sparks Political Upheaval

R Ashoka, Leader of Opposition in Karnataka, criticizes Congress for internal leadership issues, calling the government 'collapsed.' Amidst claims of 'minority appeasement,' Ashoka accuses the Congress high command of being too weak to resolve the ongoing power struggle between Siddaramaiah and D K Shivakumar.

Taking a dig at the ruling Congress in Karnataka over its internal leadership tussle, Leader of Opposition in the state assembly R Ashoka on Tuesday claimed that the ongoing power struggle has pushed the government into a ''coma stage''.

Alleging that the administration has ''completely collapsed,'' the BJP leader said the Congress high command is too ''weak'' to resolve the power tussle between CM Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar.

His comments came even as Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar are meeting the Congress high command in New Delhi amid buzz over a CM change in Karnataka.

''The CM had said that Ministers will have to tour districts once in 15 days, but the CM himself is not following it. No one is touring their district to address public grievances, everyone is on a Delhi tour... It was said that grievance redressal meetings are not being held. Everyone is on a Delhi tour,'' Ashoka said.

Speaking to reporters here, he said the internal power struggle in Congress has pushed the government in a ''coma stage''.

''The administration has completely collapsed. State Home Minister G Parameshwara had earlier warned that the power fight may lead to the collapse of the administration. But it has already been one year since the administration collapsed,'' he added.

No one knows who will remain as the Chief Minister or who will be ousted, the LoP said. ''Who will be there, who will go, is the big question? People are tired of this issue. The Congress party high command is weak... they have failed to take a call on the leadership issue, which has led to administration collapse.''.

Accusing the Congress of abandoning the people amid its internal fight for power, Ashoka urged Congress leaders to cut short their Delhi trip and return to Bengaluru to address the state issues.

For the people of the state, the current government is effectively ''dead'', he said.

Targeting the Congress government over the withdrawal of eight 2022 riot-related cases linked to the Ladle Mashak Dargah in Aland, Kalaburagi district, by calling it ''minority appeasement,'' Ashoka said such acts have resulted in communal incidents and attacks on Hindu activists in other places.

He pointed out that, recently, the reconstructed ''Moori Katte''-a religious platform-at Jagate Katte in Bhatkal was destroyed by members of the minority community. ''Police and Hindu activists were attacked during the incident, and no arrests have been made yet.''.

''I have discussed with party state president B Y Vijayendra and the district president. BJP will hold Bhatkal Chalo on May 29. Vijayendra and I will participate in this protest against the Congress government's minority appeasement, failure to protect Hindus, and vote bank politics,'' he added.