Be Cautious While Welcoming People Into Party: Karnataka Congress Chief

"Don't induct people who come from other parties, indulge in groupism and try to spoil our party," DK Shivakumar said.

Karnataka Congress President DK Shivakumar on Friday asked his partymen to be cautious while welcoming people from other parties, saying the new entrants should not "spoil the party" by indulging in groupism. The statement seems aimed at Chamarajpet legislator BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan, who is at the forefront of the faction in the party, projecting Congress Legislature Party leader Siddaramaiah as the Chief Ministerial face for the 2023 assembly polls, which has irked Mr Shivakumar, who is also nursing similar ambitions. Mr Khan, who was earlier with JD(S) and once considered the trusted lieutenant of its leader and former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, joined Congress with seven others from the regional party in 2018 and has since been a Siddaramaiah loyalist. "Both from JD(S) and BJP, some workers are desiring a good change in the state. There are people who are educated and have put in struggle, who want to join our party, accepting our ideology and respecting the leadership of Sonia Gandhi (Congress President). Send a proposal with the list of such people," Mr Shivakumar told party workers.