Bengaluru, September 14, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Karnataka Congress President B.K. Hariprasad has reportedly expressed displeasure over not being seated on the dais during the 100-day celebration of the D.K. Shivakumar-led state government, party sources said.
Hariprasad, who is also a Congress MLC, is learnt to have conveyed his concerns to the party high command, which has reportedly sought details about the episode.
During the government event, former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara were seated on the stage and addressed the gathering. Hariprasad, despite being the state Congress president, was not seen on the dais.
Sources said Hariprasad raised the issue in his close circles, questioning why he had not been invited to the stage for an important government programme. He is also learnt to have pointed out that he was both the state party president and an MLC, and expressed concern that no photograph of him from the event was published.
“The 100-day celebration event is over. I am the President of the party and an MLC. It was a significant government event. Not a single photograph was published,” he is learnt to have said, suggesting that his exclusion was deliberate.
The development comes amid scrutiny of differences among senior Karnataka Congress leaders over party and government affairs.
However, Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Monday sought to play down the controversy, saying Hariprasad had been invited along with other legislators.
“Who said we have not invited Hariprasad? We had invited all MLAs, including those from the Opposition. Hariprasad is our party President. Whatever the party dictates, we jointly have to implement,” Shivakumar said while visiting his native Kanakapura.
He said invitations had been sent to officers and others concerned and that seating arrangements were made according to protocol. Shivakumar also accused the media of unnecessarily giving a political colour to the issue.
On vacancies in the state Cabinet and speculation over an expansion, Shivakumar said the posts would be filled whenever the Congress high command directed him to do so.
“Whenever the party asks me to fill the posts, I will do it,” he said, adding that the media appeared more interested in Cabinet expansion than senior party leaders.
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