Congress MLAs clash in Karnataka Assembly over Kolar rivalry
Synopsis
The ruling Congress in Karnataka had a public meltdown inside the Assembly itself — an MLA banging tables, pointing fingers, and being escorted out by her own colleagues. With Kolar's Muniyappa faction at the centre and a separate MLA resignation over drought exclusions in the same session, the cracks in Karnataka's Congress are no longer just whispers in the corridor.
Key Takeaways
Congress MLA Roopakala Shashidhar and S.N.
Narayanaswamy clashed on the floor of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly on 23 September 2026 .
Roopakala banged on a table and accused Narayanaswamy of repeatedly speaking against her; she was escorted out by fellow Congress members.
All three MLAs involved — Roopakala , Narayanaswamy , and S.N.
Subbareddy — represent constituencies in Kolar district , and the row reflects longstanding anti- Muniyappa factionalism.
Leader of the Opposition R.
Ashoka publicly intervened and made a pointed remark about another fight breaking out in the House.
The altercation occurred during discussion of the resignation of Congress MLA Yashwantharayagowda Patil over the exclusion of Indi and Chadachan taluks from the drought-hit list.
The Congress party had issued no official statement on the incident at the time of reporting.
Fresh signs of internal discord within the ruling Indian National Congress (INC) surfaced in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly on Wednesday, 23 September 2026, when Congress MLAs S.N. Narayanaswamy and Roopakala Shashidhar broke into a heated confrontation during an ongoing session in Bengaluru. The altercation briefly disrupted proceedings and drew sharp attention from legislators across party lines.
What Happened on the Floor
Roopakala Shashidhar, seated behind Narayanaswamy and senior Congress MLA S.N. Subbareddy, abruptly approached their seats and launched into a loud argument. She accused Narayanaswamy of repeatedly criticising her and speaking against her in political circles. The confrontation intensified when Roopakala banged on the table in front of the two MLAs and was seen pointing fingers and issuing warnings to Narayanaswamy.
Several Congress colleagues intervened and eventually escorted Roopakala out of the House. She was later seen visibly disturbed and emotional following the incident. Other legislators called upon Speaker G.S. Patil to take note of the disruption.
Opposition Weighs In
Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka intervened during the altercation, publicly questioning Roopakala over the table-banging and remarking — in a lighter vein — that another fight could break out in the House. He asked her not to 'beat up' anyone. The moment drew laughter as well as concern from fellow legislators, underscoring the spectacle the episode had become.
The Kolar Fault Line
The confrontation has brought simmering political differences among Congress leaders from the Kolar region into sharp focus. Roopakala, Narayanaswamy, and Subbareddy all represent Assembly constituencies within Kolar district. Notably, Roopakala is the daughter of senior Congress leader and Social Welfare Minister K.H. Muniyappa, while Narayanaswamy and other leaders from the region are reportedly aligned against Muniyappa — a factional divide that has long strained the party's local unit.
After the incident, both Narayanaswamy and Subbareddy maintained that nothing significant had occurred, characterising the exchange as a routine discussion on political developments. The Congress party had not issued an official statement as of the time of reporting.
Wider Discontent in the Session
The floor fight is not an isolated incident. The same session has also been marked by the resignation of Congress MLA Yashwantharayagowda Patil of Indi, who stepped down in protest over the exclusion of Indi and Chadachan taluks from the state's drought-hit list. The Assembly was debating that resignation when the Roopakala-Narayanaswamy confrontation erupted, compounding the impression of a Congress unit wrestling with multiple pressure points simultaneously.
How the party's leadership manages these fault lines — both at the regional Kolar level and across the broader drought-relief row — will be closely watched as the session continues.
Point of View
Centred on K.H. Muniyappa's influence, has been an open secret; Wednesday's scene simply forced it onto the record. What is striking is the timing: the same session is also fielding an MLA resignation over drought-list exclusions, suggesting that the party's grassroots frustrations are mounting faster than the leadership can contain them. For Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's government, managing optics in the Assembly chamber — the most public of all arenas — is now as urgent a task as managing policy.
NationPress
23 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened between Congress MLAs in the Karnataka Assembly on 23 September 2026?
Congress MLA Roopakala Shashidhar confronted fellow Congress MLA S.N. Narayanaswamy on the floor of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, banging on a table, pointing fingers, and accusing him of repeatedly speaking against her. She was subsequently escorted out of the House by Congress colleagues.
Why did Roopakala Shashidhar and S.N. Narayanaswamy clash?
The immediate trigger was Roopakala's accusation that Narayanaswamy had been criticising her and speaking against her. The deeper context is a factional divide in Kolar district: Roopakala is the daughter of Social Welfare Minister K.H. Muniyappa, while Narayanaswamy and other regional leaders reportedly oppose Muniyappa's political influence.
Who is Roopakala Shashidhar?
Roopakala Shashidhar is a Congress MLA representing an Assembly constituency in Kolar district, Karnataka. She is the daughter of senior Congress leader and Social Welfare Minister K.H. Muniyappa.
What other Congress controversy was playing out in the same session?
Congress MLA Yashwantharayagowda Patil of Indi submitted his resignation during the session to protest the exclusion of Indi and Chadachan taluks from Karnataka's drought-hit list. The Assembly was discussing that resignation when the Roopakala-Narayanaswamy confrontation broke out.
Has the Congress party responded officially to the floor clash?
No. As of the time of reporting, the Congress party had not issued any official statement on the incident. Narayanaswamy and Subbareddy downplayed the episode, saying they had merely been discussing political developments.
