Karnataka Youth Congress factions clash at KPCC office ahead of NEET protest
Synopsis
A preparatory meeting for Karnataka Congress's NEET protest on 21 May descended into physical scuffles at the KPCC office in Bengaluru, as supporters of Youth Congress president H. S. Manjunath Gowda clashed with backers of sacked vice-president Deepika Reddy. The brawl lays bare the Siddaramaiah-Shivakumar fault line running through the party's youth wing at the worst possible time.
Key Takeaways
Rival Karnataka Youth Congress factions clashed at the KPCC office, Bengaluru on 18 May during a preparatory meeting for the 21 May NEET protest .
The clash pitted supporters of Youth Congress president H.
Manjunath Gowda against backers of former vice-president Deepika Reddy .
Deepika Reddy and 15 other office-bearers were recently removed by the National Youth Congress leadership, sparking the resentment.
Reddy called her removal 'illegal' and 'personal vendetta', claiming she had secured 2.95 lakh votes in Youth Congress elections.
The confrontation reflects the broader rivalry between CM Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D.
Shivakumar factions within Karnataka Congress.
Rival factions within the Karnataka Youth Congress clashed at the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) office in Bengaluru on Monday, 18 May, turning a preparatory meeting for the planned NEET protest on 21 May into a scene of heated arguments, pushing, shoving, and physical scuffles. The incident has thrust the party's internal fault lines into sharp relief at a politically sensitive moment.
What Triggered the Clash
The confrontation broke out between supporters of Karnataka Youth Congress president H. S. Manjunath Gowda and those of former vice-president Deepika Reddy, who was recently removed from her post along with 15 other office-bearers by the National Youth Congress leadership. The dismissal had already generated significant resentment within Reddy's camp.
When the preparatory meeting for the 21 May NEET protest — called to demonstrate against alleged irregularities in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test — got under way at the KPCC premises, Reddy's supporters allegedly raised slogans condemning her removal. Gowda's backers reportedly warned them to stop, and the verbal exchange quickly escalated into physical altercations. Senior Congress leaders eventually intervened to pacify both groups.
The Deeper Factional Divide
The clash is widely seen as a proxy battle between the two power centres of Karnataka's ruling Congress. Manjunath Gowda is a close associate of Deputy Chief Minister and State Congress President D. K. Shivakumar, while supporters of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah were also reportedly involved in the confrontation, according to party sources. This is not the first time the Siddaramaiah–Shivakumar rivalry has spilled over into the party's youth wing.
Deepika Reddy's Allegations
In a press note issued after the incident, Deepika Reddy described her removal as 'illegal' and called it 'an act of personal vendetta rather than disciplinary action.' She stated: 'This is not a disciplinary measure but personal revenge. I will not remain silent against misogynistic conspiracy and the politics of vengeance. My loyalty towards the Congress party and the high command remains unwavering.'
Reddy claimed she had secured 2.95 lakh votes in the Youth Congress elections, making her among the highest vote-getting women candidates in the country. She alleged that Manjunath Gowda had created 'an unsafe environment for women in the Youth Congress' and that she had faced 'political conspiracy and mental harassment' since the elections.
Impact on the NEET Protest
The internal unrest risks undermining the Congress's planned 21 May NEET protest in Karnataka, which was intended to highlight alleged irregularities in the national medical entrance examination. With the party's youth wing visibly divided, the demonstration's organisational coherence and public messaging could be compromised. The coming days will test whether senior leadership can contain the fallout before the protest date.
Point of View
Not a cause. The Karnataka Congress has never fully resolved the Siddaramaiah-Shivakumar power-sharing tension, and the Youth Congress has become its most visible pressure valve. Removing Deepika Reddy — a candidate who reportedly drew 2.95 lakh votes — without a transparent disciplinary process hands the opposition a ready-made narrative about Congress's internal democracy. More damaging is the timing: a protest meant to corner the BJP on NEET irregularities is now headlined by the party's own disorder. If senior leadership does not visibly and credibly arbitrate before 21 May, the protest risks becoming a story about Congress infighting rather than NEET accountability.
NationPress
8 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Karnataka Youth Congress workers clash at the KPCC office?
Workers from two rival factions clashed on 18 May at the KPCC office in Bengaluru during a meeting to plan the 21 May NEET protest. The immediate trigger was the recent removal of Youth Congress vice-president Deepika Reddy and 15 other office-bearers by the National Youth Congress leadership, which her supporters protested by raising slogans at the meeting.
Who are the two factions involved in the Karnataka Youth Congress clash?
One faction backs Youth Congress president H. S. Manjunath Gowda, a close associate of Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar. The other supports former vice-president Deepika Reddy. Supporters of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah were also reportedly involved, reflecting the broader factional divide within Karnataka Congress.
What did Deepika Reddy say after her removal?
Deepika Reddy called her removal 'illegal' and described it as 'personal vendetta rather than disciplinary action.' She alleged that an unsafe environment for women had been created under Manjunath Gowda's leadership and claimed she had secured 2.95 lakh votes in Youth Congress elections, among the highest for women candidates nationally.
What is the NEET protest planned for 21 May about?
The Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee had called a protest on 21 May against alleged irregularities in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), the national medical entrance examination. The internal clash at the preparatory meeting has cast doubt on the protest's organisational cohesion.
How does this clash reflect the larger Karnataka Congress power struggle?
Karnataka Congress is governed by a dual power structure — Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar — whose rivalry has repeatedly surfaced in organisational appointments and decisions. The Youth Congress clash is seen as an extension of that contest, with each leader's supporters backing opposing sides.
