The Bharatiya Janata Party launched a sharp attack on the Congress party this Friday, targeting the escalating internal conflict within its Karnataka unit. BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla didn't hold back, describing the ongoing drama as a political soap opera that's distracting from real governance.
The 'Word Power' Exchange That Sparked Controversy
What began as a seemingly philosophical social media exchange between Karnataka's two most powerful leaders quickly turned into a fresh political firestorm. Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar kicked off the conversation with a post on X that stated, "WORD POWER IS WORLD POWER. The biggest force in the world is to keep one's word."
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah responded with his own interpretation, emphasizing that "Whatever we speak in our world that is called Pratikna. That is the word our tongue. That is. I said word power is world power." The exchange, while cryptic, was immediately interpreted through the lens of the ongoing leadership question that has plagued the Karnataka Congress.
BJP's Scathing Criticism
BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla seized the opportunity to highlight what he called the Congress party's priorities. "Their words and their worlds are revolving around the chair," Poonawalla stated during his media interaction. He went further to redefine the Congress party's acronym INC as "I Need Chair, I Need Confusion."
Poonawalla didn't stop at criticizing the power struggle. He accused the Congress government of completely ignoring the people of Karnataka. "For the last two and a half years, their only priorities have been power, the chair, and leadership," he claimed, adding that the state is facing multiple crises including farmer distress, economic challenges, law and order issues, infrastructure problems, traffic chaos, and the perennial pothole menace.
The Real Issue Behind the Social Media Drama
The timing of this public exchange is particularly significant as the Congress government completes two and a half years in power. This marks the point where supporters of Deputy CM DK Shivakumar believe a rotational chief ministership arrangement, allegedly discussed in 2023, should come into effect.
While CM Siddaramaiah has repeatedly asserted his intention to serve the full five-year term, Shivakumar's recent activities and comments are being widely interpreted as fresh maneuvers toward claiming the top position. The deputy chief minister later clarified that his "word power" remarks were made in context of Constitution Day, but the political damage was already done.
Poonawalla summarized the situation by calling it "yet another episode has been added to this ongoing OTT series of 'Congress vs Congress' in Karnataka," suggesting that the internal conflicts have become regular public entertainment at the expense of proper governance.
