Bengaluru: A political storm has erupted after BJP Rajya Sabha MP Lahar Singh Siroya launched a scathing attack on Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge, accusing him of relentlessly targeting the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to gain the favour of the Congress high command and secure a future chief ministerial post.
In a post on his X handle, Siroya mocked the minister, claiming that Priyank Kharge’s continuous tirades against the RSS were not ideological but politically calculated to impress Rahul Gandhi. “Junior Kharge seems to know exactly what pleases Rahul Gandhi and which side of the bread has butter on it,” he said, alleging that the minister’s loyalty to the Congress leadership exceeds that of even Chief Minister Siddaramaiah or Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar.
Siroya’s comments come in the wake of Priyank Kharge’s recent letters to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, urging the state government to restrict RSS activities in government premises and educational institutions. His repeated calls for banning RSS events have sparked widespread debate and drawn criticism from opposition parties, which see the move as part of a larger appeasement strategy.
The BJP MP further alleged that Priyank’s political behaviour is guided by his ambition to rise within the Congress hierarchy. “There must be a strong reason why he is displaying such excessive loyalty. Perhaps he believes that by proving himself as a staunch ideological follower of Rahul Gandhi, he can emerge as a strong contender for the chief minister’s chair once Siddaramaiah steps down. Even if not CM, he seems to be aiming for the Deputy Chief Minister’s post,” Siroya quipped.
Kharge Jr., Shri @PriyankKharge, is making a lot of noise in Karnataka. He has been writing letters and making provocative statements on the #RSS everyday. He started doing this all of a sudden and there may be a good reason for this.
When regime change within the Congress is…
— Lahar Singh Siroya (@LaharSingh_MP) October 19, 2025
The MP went on to say that Karnataka’s political circles have been abuzz with speculation about a possible leadership change within the Congress. “Priyank Kharge’s sudden ideological aggression is not accidental. He is trying to appear more doctrinaire than his father, Mallikarjun Kharge, to impress the Gandhi family. His father may have missed the CM post despite a long political career, but the son seems determined to compensate for that loss through political manoeuvring,” he added sarcastically.
Siroya also accused the Congress of using state machinery to suppress nationalist organisations. “While the government denies permission for RSS marches and imposes restrictions in the name of law and order, its ministers continue to spew venom against the Sangh to please their masters in Delhi. Priyank Kharge’s daily outbursts are nothing but political theatre scripted by the Congress high command,” he charged.
Reiterating his criticism, Siroya said, “By attacking the RSS every day, Priyank Kharge is attempting to project himself as Rahul Gandhi’s ideological heir. Among all Karnataka Congress leaders Siddaramaiah, D.K. Shivakumar, Dr. Parameshwara, Krishna Byregowda, or HK Patil none appears to be showing such extreme loyalty to the Gandhis.”
The BJP leader concluded with biting sarcasm, saying, “Perhaps the Congress should at least reward the Kharge family for their generational loyalty. If not the father, let the son finally get the chair he’s been craving for. In a dynastic party like Congress, that’s not an unreasonable expectation.”
