Karnataka Congress politics saw another exchange between senior leaders after KPCC president BK Hariprasad responded to remarks made by former minister and BJP leader Janardhana Reddy.
Speaking to reporters at the KPCC office, Hariprasad reacted to Reddy referring to him as a person who is mentally unstable. Hariprasad rejected the remark and said he did not want to respond to what he described as personal attacks.
The Congress leader also brought the Vande Mataram controversy into his response. He questioned whether Janardhana Reddy could sing at least two stanzas of the national song before making comments about him.
Hariprasad further referred to Reddy’s past political controversies and said his own political journey had been based on political struggles. These remarks were made as part of his response to Reddy and reflected the sharp tone of the exchange between the two leaders.
The dispute comes amid a wider political discussion in Karnataka over the singing of Vande Mataram at public programmes. Recent developments surrounding the song have triggered statements from leaders across the political spectrum. Reports have also noted controversy over the number of stanzas being sung at public events.
Hariprasad also said he would not spend time responding to every statement made against him. He suggested that continuing such exchanges would only lead to further political arguments.
Alongside his response to Janardhana Reddy, Hariprasad spoke about an organisational issue within the Congress. He said a Political Affairs Committee would soon be formed in Karnataka to improve coordination between the party organisation and the government.
According to Hariprasad, Political Affairs Committees are present in other states and Karnataka would also have such a mechanism. He said senior Congress leaders KC Venugopal and Randeep Singh Surjewala had recently directed the state leadership to move ahead with the process.
The proposed committee is expected to provide a platform where important political and organisational matters can be discussed by representatives of the party and government.
The move comes as Karnataka Congress continues to make organisational changes and prepare its structure for future political activity. Recent reports have indicated that the Congress leadership is considering a Political Affairs Committee to improve coordination between the government and the party organisation.
The proposed arrangement is not entirely new for Karnataka Congress. The party had previously constituted a Political Affairs Committee in 2022, with senior leaders from the state included in the panel. The earlier committee was formed ahead of the 2023 Karnataka Assembly election.
Hariprasad said consultations had already begun regarding the new committee. He indicated that suggestions had been sought from senior leaders before the final decision is taken.
The composition and exact responsibilities of the proposed committee have not yet been formally announced. Recent reports say the Congress high command is considering a panel that could include representatives from both the government and the party organisation, although its final structure and mandate are still to be decided.
The proposed committee could become an important organisational mechanism as the Karnataka Congress works to maintain coordination between its elected government and party units. The leadership has also been focusing on strengthening the organisation at the district and local levels.
For now, the immediate political attention remains divided between the exchange involving Hariprasad and Reddy and the Congress plan to establish a coordination mechanism. Hariprasad’s comments on Vande Mataram have added another layer to the ongoing political debate, while the proposed committee points towards a more organisational focus within the state Congress.
The Congress leadership is expected to discuss the composition and functioning of the Political Affairs Committee before formally announcing it. Until then, the final membership, scope and timeline of the panel remain subject to further decisions by the party leadership.
