DK Shivakumar: DK Shivakumar slaps Congress worker during election rally in Haveri, incident caught on camera
The incident, which occurred on Saturday night, was captured on video and swiftly went viral. Despite Maniar’s attempt to maintain a smile, he was promptly pushed away by security personnel and other supporters. Shivakumar gestured for him to step back, following which Maniar rejoined the crowd as Shivakumar continued his campaign.
Shivakumar was in Haveri to campaign for Congress candidate Vinoda Asooti as part of Karnataka’s ongoing Lok Sabha elections. The state’s 28 Lok Sabha seats are being contested in two phases, with the first phase concluding on April 26 and the second phase scheduled for May 7. Vote counting is set for June 4.
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BJP Reacts
Reacting to the video, BJP’s IT cell head Amit Malviya said: “Karnataka’s DCM, DK Shivakumar, slaps Congress Municipal Member Allauddin Maniar, while campaigning in Savanur town of Haveri. This is not the first time DK has assaulted a Congress worker. His crime? He happened to put his hands on DK Shivakumar’s shoulder, when the latter stepped out of the car.””I wonder why do Congress workers even want to work for the Congress? Their leaders slap them, humiliate them, don’t give them tickets to contest (all of them are cornered by family members) Is it for the corruption money they make on the side? No self-respect?” he added further.BJP National Spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla also attacked Congress in a post on X. “First Congress’ Jeevan Reddy slaps an elderly woman! Now DK Shivkumar slaps a congress worker. Nawabi mindset of Congress. Congress ki pehchaan – janta aur worker ka apman. Imagine if they are like this before elections what will they do after! Threaten voters, Abuse them, Beat them. Muhabbat Ki dukaan !!?? ECI pls act,” he wrote.Political Fallout
The incident has further intensified political tensions in Karnataka, which is witnessing a closely contested election. The BJP, which won 25 out of 28 seats in the state in the 2019 elections, is once again in a strong position. The Congress, along with its ally JD(S), is looking to make significant gains in this election.
Election Scenario
Karnataka has 28 Lok Sabha seats, and the state is voting in two phases. The first phase, covering 14 seats, concluded on April 26, while the remaining 14 seats will undergo polling on May 7. The counting of votes is scheduled for June 4.
In the 2019 elections, the BJP secured a significant victory in Karnataka, winning 25 out of 28 seats, while the Congress and JD(S) alliance managed only one seat each. This election sees the BJP and JD(S) in coalition, with the former contesting 25 seats and the latter three.
The JD(S) has faced challenges due to sexual assault allegations against Prajwal Revanna, the grandson of HD Deve Gowda. Following public outcry, Revanna, currently abroad, has been suspended by his party. HD Kumaraswamy, Prajwal’s uncle, has accused DK Shivakumar of orchestrating the circulation of videos related to the allegations and setting up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the matter.
The incident involving Shivakumar has injected further tension into Karnataka’s electoral landscape, with both the BJP and the Congress-JD(S) alliance aiming to secure victories. As the state progresses towards the final phase of voting, such incidents are likely to impact voter sentiments and the overall election outcome.
