Karnataka Chief Minister warns rebel MLAs as dissent persists, supporters stage protests
Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has taken a firm stance against rebel Congress MLAs protesting their exclusion from the state Cabinet. As dissent grows, the party leadership is attempting to manage the internal crisis while maintaining party discipline.
Why it matters
Internal party instability in Karnataka could impact governance and the stability of the ruling coalition.
Dissent within the ruling Congress over the Karnataka Cabinet expansion continued for the second consecutive day on Tuesday, with senior MLAs expressing disappointment over being denied ministerial berths and their supporters staging protests outside the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) office in Bengaluru.
As the protests intensified, Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar struck a firm note, saying that the resignations of disgruntled legislators would be accepted “within a few minutes” if they chose to quit.
Supporters of senior MLAs Dinesh Gundu Rao, M. Krishnappa, Priya Krishna, and N.A. Harris gathered outside the KPCC office, demanding an explanation from the Chief Minister and the Congress high command for excluding their leaders. Similar protests were reported from several constituencies, where supporters resorted to road blockades, burnt tyres, and raised slogans against the party leadership.
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