Congress' Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President B.K. Hariprasad has reportedly expressed serious displeasure after he was excluded from the dais at the 100-day celebration of the D.K. Shivakumar-led Karnataka government, party sources said on Monday, 14 September 2026. The snub has triggered fresh discussion about internal fault lines within the Congress in Karnataka.

What Happened at the Event

During the 100-day government celebration, former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara were seated on the dais and addressed the gathering. Hariprasad, despite being the state Congress President and a Member of the Legislative Council (MLC), was not seen on the stage at the significant government function.

Sources close to Hariprasad say he expressed his reservations within his inner circle, questioning why he was not given a place on the dais. He reportedly also pointed out that not a single photograph of him from the event was published in media coverage.

'100-day celebration event is over. I am the President of the party and an MLC. It was a significant government event. Not a single photograph was published,' Hariprasad is learnt to have said, alleging his exclusion was intentional.

Hariprasad Conveys Unhappiness to High Command

According to party sources, Hariprasad has conveyed his unhappiness to the Congress high command in New Delhi. The high command has reportedly sought details about the incident. The matter is being viewed as sensitive given the ongoing scrutiny of differences among senior Karnataka Congress leaders over party and government affairs.

What Chief Minister Shivakumar Said

Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, reacting to the controversy on Monday while visiting his native Kanakapura, dismissed the suggestion that Hariprasad had not been invited to the event. He said invitations had been extended to all legislators, including those from the Opposition, and that seating arrangements followed protocol.

'Who said we have not invited Hariprasad? We had invited all MLAs, including those from the Opposition. Hariprasad is our party President. Whatever the party dictates, we jointly have to implement,' Shivakumar said. He also alleged that the media was unnecessarily lending a political colour to the issue, adding: 'All officers and everyone were sent invitations.'

Cabinet Expansion Still Pending

Separately, when pressed on the pending Karnataka Cabinet expansion — with several senior Congress leaders reportedly awaiting portfolios — Shivakumar said he would act only when the party high command directed him. 'Whenever the party asks me to fill the posts, I will do it,' he said, adding that the media appeared more interested in the Cabinet expansion than the party's own senior leaders.

Wider Context and What It Signals

This episode comes amid reported tensions between the government wing led by Shivakumar and the party organisation over decision-making and visibility. Notably, this is not the first time questions have been raised about the pecking order between the Karnataka government and the state Congress unit. The Congress won Karnataka in May 2023, but managing the balance between Siddaramaiah's camp, Shivakumar's government, and the KPCC has remained a recurring challenge for the party. How the high command navigates the Hariprasad grievance will be closely watched ahead of scheduled local body elections.