Congress Party’s Messy Internal Battles in Karnataka and Kerala
Let’s be honest—the Congress party isn’t having its best moment. What was once India’s political powerhouse is now looking more like a house with too many cooks fighting over the kitchen. And nowhere is this mess clearer than in Karnataka and Kerala. You’ve got veteran leaders clashing with new faces, old-school politics bumping against modern ideas, and honestly? It’s not pretty.
1. Karnataka: When Two Bosses Spoil the Broth
1.1 Why These Two Just Can’t Get Along
You know how some people just rub each other the wrong way? That’s CM Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar for you. One’s this grassroots socialist type who connects with crowds, the other’s a sharp organizer with strong caste backing. They’ve been butting heads since day one—remember that awkward CM selection drama last year? The high command forced a truce, but let’s just say nobody’s buying flowers for each other.
1.2 Things Are Getting Ugly
Last month, Shivakumar made this comment about “some leaders forgetting we’re a team”—everyone knew exactly who he meant. Meanwhile, Siddaramaiah’s camp keeps complaining about “undermining authority.” It’s like watching your parents argue in front of guests. And the worst part? Regular party workers have no clue who to listen to.
1.3 Why This Matters
Here’s the thing—Karnataka is Congress’s last proper stronghold down south. If they keep this circus going, the BJP’s just going to walk right in. A local journalist friend put it best: “This isn’t politics anymore, it’s a reality show with terrible ratings.” And with national elections coming up? Not a good look.
2. Kerala: Tharoor vs The Old Guard
2.1 The Man Who Won’t Stop Shaking Things Up
Shashi Tharoor—love him or hate him, you can’t ignore him. After his presidential run last year, the guy’s become this symbol of change for younger voters. Wants more tech in campaigning, more say for local workers. But here’s the catch: the party’s old bosses think he’s moving too fast. Typical case of “this is how we’ve always done it” versus “but why can’t we try something new?”
2.2 The Pushback Is Real
Remember when Tharoor suggested letting workers pick candidates? Yeah, that idea got buried faster than last season’s mangoes. One senior leader (who obviously didn’t want to be named) told me: “We’ve been winning elections before smartphones existed.” That pretty much sums up the mentality.
2.3 Playing With Fire
Here’s what keeps me up at night—the Left’s getting stronger, BJP’s making moves, and Congress risks losing its urban base if they sideline Tharoor. We saw what happened in Punjab when young leaders got fed up. History has this annoying habit of repeating itself, you know?
3. The Big Question: Is Congress Falling Apart?
3.1 This Isn’t Just About Two States
From Punjab to Rajasthan, it’s the same story—leaders at each other’s throats. Meanwhile, Modi and Shah run the BJP like a well-oiled machine. Someone joked to me the other day: “Congress isn’t a party with factions, it’s a WhatsApp group where everyone’s constantly muting each other.” Harsh, but not wrong.
3.2 Voters Aren’t Stupid
People notice when a party can’t get its act together. Since 2014, Congress has lost state after state not just to BJP’s strength, but to its own chaos. HD Kumaraswamy’s already calling them “a leaking boat”—and voters might start believing him.
3.3 Can They Turn This Around?
Rahul’s Bharat Jodo Yatra was great PR, but ground realities? Different story. The Gandhi family’s usual mediation isn’t working like before. What Congress needs is some serious structural change—but who’s going to bell the cat? As my college professor used to say, “Recognizing the problem is step one. Now where’s step two?”
4. What People Are Saying
• “This isn’t just personality clashes—it’s about what the party even stands for anymore.” — Some smart political analyst on TV
• Twitter’s having a field day with #CongressCivilWar
• On the ground: Karnataka workers say they’re getting “mixed signals,” Kerala cadres want “clear leadership”
Bottom Line
Congress is at a crossroads—no, scratch that, it’s more like standing in the middle of a highway trying to decide which way to jump. Karnataka and Kerala are just symptoms of a bigger disease. With 2024 around the corner, they can either figure out how to turn these internal debates into strength, or keep being their own worst enemy. One retired Congress leader told me recently: “We used to fight elections. Now we just fight each other.” If that doesn’t sum it up, I don’t know what does.
Source: Navbharat Times – Default
