Nazir Ahmed resigns as CM’s political secretary amid Congress infighting

Bengaluru: In a sudden political development that has triggered intense discussions within Karnataka’s political circles, Nazir Ahmed has resigned from his post as political secretary to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. The resignation comes amid ongoing internal strife within the Congress party following the Davanagere South by-election developments.

Nazir Ahmed formally submitted his resignation letter to the Chief Minister, complying with directions reportedly issued by the party high command. According to sources, Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala had set a deadline on Monday (April 13), asking Ahmed to step down from the post by evening. It was also indicated that failure to do so would lead to his removal on the Chief Minister’s recommendation.

Facing mounting pressure, Nazir Ahmed sent in his resignation at the last moment, averting a formal dismissal. The move is being seen as part of the Congress leadership’s attempt to contain factional tensions that have escalated in recent days.

The crisis within the party intensified after the Davanagere South Assembly by-election, where allegations of internal sabotage surfaced. Congress leaders Rizwan Arshad and Salim Ahmed had publicly claimed that some party members worked against the official candidate, leading to embarrassment for the leadership.

The controversy soon snowballed, resulting in a series of resignations and structural changes within the party. MLC Abdul Jabbar stepped down as president of the KPCC Minority Wing, and his resignation was accepted. Subsequently, the minority wing itself was dissolved, indicating the seriousness of the internal crisis.

In this backdrop, pressure mounted on Nazir Ahmed, who is considered part of Siddaramaiah’s close circle and is also known to share proximity with minister Zameer Ahmed Khan. Party insiders reveal that he was initially entrusted with the responsibility of managing the rebellion in Davanagere, particularly to pacify dissident leader Sadiq Pailwan.

However, sources claim that despite initially agreeing to intervene, Nazir Ahmed later stepped back and did not actively engage in damage control efforts. He is also said to have maintained distance from campaign activities, which reportedly did not go down well with the party leadership.

With the rebellion threatening to hurt the party’s prospects, the high command appears to have acted decisively to send a strong message on accountability and discipline. Nazir Ahmed’s exit is thus being interpreted as both a corrective step and a signal to other leaders amid rising factionalism.

The developments underline the continuing challenges within the Karnataka Congress, where internal divisions and leadership tussles have periodically surfaced. As the party attempts to regain cohesion, more organisational changes cannot be ruled out in the coming days.