A political showdown erupted between the factions of senior Congress leaders KH Muniyappa and KR Ramesh Kumar in Kolar, escalating to a level where police intervention was required. The clash occurred during a meeting held at Nandini Palace on the outskirts of the city, on Saturday aimed at strengthening the party. The gathering, which was intended to unite party members, instead saw physical altercations and the filing of complaints by both factions at the local Kolar Rural Police Station.
The meeting was attended by prominent Congress leaders, including MLA S.N. Narayan Swamy, MLA Rupakala, former Speaker Ramesh Kumar, and party MLAs. The gathering was chaired by KPCC Vice President and Kolar District Congress In-Charge M. Narayana Swamy. However, tensions quickly escalated when supporters of Ramesh Kumar accused District Congress President Laxminarayan and Kolar Nagar Block Congress President Prasad Babu, both aligned with the KH Muniyappa faction, of sidelining senior leaders and party veterans.
Supporters from the Ramesh Kumar faction disrupted the meeting, demanding the removal of Lakshminarayan and Prasad Babu from their posts. They alleged that these leaders had engaged in anti-party activities and called for a change in district leadership. The situation spiraled out of control when Congress workers from both sides physically confronted each other, resulting in Laxminarayan being manhandled and Prasad Babu being pushed off the platform by his shirt collar.
As the altercation intensified, police personnel had to intervene to protect the district president. The chaos led to both factions filing complaints against each other at the Kolar Rural Police Station. Despite attempts by Congress In-Charge Narayanaswamy and MLC Nazir Ahmed to downplay the incident, the public display of infighting left many senior Congress leaders embarrassed and frustrated.
The rivalry between the Muniyappa and Ramesh Kumar factions is not new. KH Muniyappa former railway minister , a veteran leader who held the Kolar Lok Sabha seat for seven consecutive terms, lost the 2019 election, which led to increased tensions within the party. Muniyappa’s efforts to secure a ticket for his son-in-law in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections were thwarted when K.V. Gautham was chosen as the candidate. Gautham, however, also lost the election, marking two consecutive defeats for the Congress in Kolar due to factionalism.
Despite back-to-back election losses, Congress senior leaders have failed to mediate effectively between the two factions. Saturday’s physical altercation at the meeting has highlighted the deepening rift within the Kolar district Congress unit. While verbal confrontations are not uncommon in the party’s meetings, the escalation to physical altercations has caused concern among party workers and leaders, many of whom are calling for state-level intervention to resolve the issue.
The turmoil took another turn when District Congress President Laxminarayan and Nagar Block Congress President Prasad Babu filed a complaint against MLC M.L. Anilkumar, accusing him of masterminding the incident. The complaint also alleged that MLC Amaranarayan and Balu were involved in the altercation and had issued life threats. In response, Anilkumar denied the allegations and challenged his accusers to prove his involvement in the incident.
Amid the ongoing tension, MLA Kothur Manjunath made a dramatic statement, declaring that if he and MLC Anil Kumar were involved in the altercation, they should be cursed with serious illnesses like cancer and heart disease. His impassioned outburst has added another layer of controversy to an already volatile situation.
Following the attack on the district president, protests erupted in Kolar, with backward class leader Srinivasapura Venu leading a group in burning an effigy of MLC Anil Kumar at the KSRTC bus stand circle on Sunday. The protest, conducted without permission, led to police intervention, and Venu was taken into custody by the Kolar town police.
The public display of factionalism in Kolar has left the Congress party in disarray, with many calling for immediate intervention from senior state-level leaders to prevent further damage. The continued infighting between the Muniyappa and Ramesh Kumar factions has not only weakened the party’s prospects in Kolar but has also created a sense of frustration among party workers. As the two sides continue to clash, the future of Congress in Kolar remains uncertain, with party high command worrying.
