The BJP in Karnataka on Sunday accused Congress general secretary K.C. Venugopal of acting as a “super CM” of the state by intervening in its administration. This allegation came in response to Venugopal’s comments on the demolition drive in Bengaluru.
"Karnataka is not a colony of Rahul Gandhi and his coterie," BJP leader and Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Assembly, R. Ashoka, stated.
On Saturday, Venugopal had posted on social media that he had spoken to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar, expressing the AICC's “serious concern” over the eviction drive. He stated that the party leadership believed such actions should have been carried out with more caution, sensitivity, and compassion, keeping the human impact at the forefront.
"They have assured that they will personally engage with the affected families, put in place an appropriate mechanism for addressing grievances, and ensure rehabilitation and relief for those impacted," he added.
In a sharp response to Venugopal's remarks, Ashoka questioned: "Who is K.C. Venugopal to intervene in the administration of Karnataka? Is he a Super CM, or does the Congress high command believe elected state governments function on Delhi diktats?"
Ashoka further accused the Congress of overstepping its boundaries, calling it a "blatant overreach" and an insult to federalism.
The AICC's intervention came after Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan criticised the demolition of Fakir Colony and Waseem Layout, areas where Muslim families had lived for many years.
Ashoka claimed that this selective outrage revealed the true nature of the Congress high command's politics, particularly its focus on Kerala appeasement and election optics, especially since Priyanka Gandhi represents the state in the Lok Sabha.
“Karnataka's dignity, self-respect, and administrative authority cannot be compromised to please party managers sitting in Delhi. The people of this state did not vote for a remote control government," Ashoka said.