Ashok Accuses Kharge of Insulting S.M. Krishna

Quick Summary

• R. Ashok, Leader of Opposition in Karnataka Legislative Assembly, criticized Congress leader M. Mallikarjun Kharge’s remarks suggesting S.M. Krishna became Chief Minister in 1999 despite Kharge’s hard work,calling it an “insult” to the late CM.
• Ashok credited S.M. Krishna for boosting Karnataka’s revenue by promoting IT and BT sectors during his tenure.
• Ashok claimed Mr. Kharge is targeting current chief Minister Siddaramaiah, hinting he should step aside and allow Kharge the CM role as gratitude for his contributions to Congress.
• Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar was mentioned regarding his temple visits amid disputes over a prior “agreement” that Siddaramaiah would vacate the post for him; Siddaramaiah reportedly cites MLA support issues as justification for remaining in power.
• BJP leader Ashok criticized CM Siddaramaiah’s challenge to BJP and JD(S) leaders for a progress debate, stating such discourse belongs in the Legislative Assembly where even Congress MLAs have complained about lack of progress.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The ongoing political disagreements reflect deep factionalism within Karnataka’s Congress leadership over access to power and recognition of senior leaders’ work within the party structure. Statements by Opposition leaders like R.Ashok underline how ancient grievances are being weaponized amid disputes between current officeholders such as Siddaramaiah and aspiring colleagues like D.K Shivakumar.

While internal party dynamics may affect governance efforts locally-especially regarding development projects mentioned-it could also amplify focus on leadership loyalty versus actual delivery of results among voters leading up to elections or major party restructuring efforts.

Partisan commentary-including criticism surrounding debates on state progress-is emblematic of larger national trends where political accountability often gets overshadowed by interpersonal rivalries or legacy claims instead of data-driven performance reviews on policy success.

Read More: Published – July 28, 2025 08:04 pm IST