Published Apr 12, 2026 | 5:35 PM ⚊ Updated Apr 12, 2026 | 5:35 PM
Former Karnataka Congress Minority Department President K Abdul Jabbar.
Synopsis: Karnataka Congress is facing a fresh internal crisis after Minority Department President K Abdul Jabbar resigned, citing the sidelining of Muslim leaders and dissatisfaction over candidate selection for the recent Davanagare South by-poll. The move follows tensions within the party, with minority leaders alleging an internal conspiracy and accusing some colleagues of working against the official candidate.
Even as chatter around a potential ‘leadership change’ in Karnataka has relatively subsided, the party is now facing another internal crisis, with the State Congress Minority Department President K Abdul Jabbar announcing his resignation from the post on Saturday, 11 April.
The resignation, driven largely by a ‘sidelining’ of Muslim leaders, comes a few days after high-pitched by-polls in the state.
Tensions first arose after the Congress decided to nominate Samarth Mallikarjun, grandson of Shamanur Shivashankarappa, for the by-poll in Davanagere South, instead of a Muslim candidate, which triggered discontent within the Muslim community that forms a key part of the electorate.
During campaigning, a key figure and a leader from the minority community, Housing Minister BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan, was largely absent, except during the final leg. Khan was among those who had strongly pushed for a Muslim candidate.
In his resignation letter, Jabbar drew attention to ‘disrespectful’ statements made against Khan, which he said hurt minority Congress workers and the Muslim community across the state.
Although Jabbar claimed his resignation was driven largely by these developments, he was reportedly made to resign by the party high command after an internal report prepared by AICC Secretary and co-incharge Abhishek Dutt alleged that he was involved in ‘anti-party’ activities during the by-poll.
One such allegation that the high command is yet to publicly comment upon is that he had reportedly backed SDPI nominee (from Davanagere South) Afsar Kodlipete, a minority candidate in the fray.
The report also purportedly blames Khan and MLC Naseer Ahmed, who is also Political Secretary to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, for being involved in ‘anti-party’ activities, according to sources.
The resignation letter addressed to Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar was dated 3 April, almost a week ahead of the by-poll in the region.
Describing Housing Minister BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan as the ‘star campaigner’ of the Congress, K Abdul Jabbar in his letter said that he commands “huge respect and followers wherever he travels.”
“He has been publicly addressed not once but twice in the media in most disrespectful manner to not visit Davanagere for the by-election campaign. This has hurt minority Congress workers and Muslim community across the state,” Jabbar wrote, referring to statements made by Samarth Mallikarjun, adding that no disciplinary action has been taken so far.
Khan had been deputed to campaign in neighbouring Kerala. Seeking to downplay concerns about Khan not campaigning in Davanagere, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar earlier asserted that the party “does not run on Shivakumar or Siddaramaiah or Zameer.”
Jabbar further alleged that party leaders did not attempt to take inputs from the Minority Department or its leader (referring to himself) for the by-election.
“I have been associated with Davanagere from Students Union to Youth Congress to Davanagere District Congress Committee president to KPCC Minority Chairman of the state. Congress always believed in inclusive planning and strategy. Our department office bearers are distressed and disappointed by recent events, and I share the same feelings,” he said.
Jabbar then alleged that there has been an attempt to “sideline few leaders and form a syndicate amongst minorities”, which he claimed was aggravating the situation.
“I am a staunch Congressman and served party close to 45 years and from my own experience I can say this is not welcome move and am afraid it will not yield better results in future,” he said.
He then ended the letter by stating that minority voters and minority office bearers are “backbone” of the Congress party and “certainly deserve better than this.”
K Abdul Jabbar’s resignation came a day after a group of minority leaders from the party hurled allegations of an ‘internal conspiracy’ against some of their own party leaders to defeat the official candidate in Davanagere South.
During a press conference on Friday, Chief Whip in the Legislative Council Saleem Ahmed, MLAs Rizwan Arshad, Yasir Ahmed Khan Pathan, MLC Bilkis Bano, and other Congress leaders alleged that some minority leaders ‘conspired’ to defeat Samarth Mallikarjun.
“It is a sad thing that some senior leaders of our own party have conspired to defeat the Congress, despite this minorities have voted for the Congress.
KPCC President, the Chief Minister (Siddaramaiah) and the AICC General Secretary (Randeep Singh Surjewala) are aware of this. People have voted for Congress, its ideology and its five guarantee schemes,” Ahmed said.
Then, MLA Rizwan Arshad claimed that there was a massive social media campaign against the Congress by the BJP, SDPI and Independents, who alleged “betrayal” of the minorities by the Congress.
Additionally, some within the party tried to project the same, he added, without elaborating on who was behind this ‘conspiracy’.
“We indeed demanded a ticket for the minority, and the party considered it. However, since we, as minority leaders, had to provide a unanimous candidate, we only put forward Abdul Jabbar’s name because he is the MLC from the region, and he also pressured us. I think we first failed there, as ground-level party workers did not accept it and some other leaders believed he wasn’t that popular,” he said.
Arshad noted that the party finally named Samarth Mallikarjun as the candidate “after considering all factors and taking all Muslim leaders into confidence.”
However, some leaders who accepted the party’s decision to nominate Samarth as the party candidate during a meeting showed indirect signs of resistance, he said. “An attempt was made by others, including some within the Congress, to project that the Congress has betrayed the Muslims. This has caused us pain,” he said.
While speaking to reporters, Jabbar said that he sent the resignation letter after watching the press conference by the minority leaders.
“The allegation is that we supported the SDPI and independent candidate. What’s the proof? We’ve heard many times that Rizwan Arshad, after being denied the ticket in Mysuru, supported SDPI against Tanveer Sait. But we didn’t believe it,” Jabbar reportedly said, according to DH.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
