Karnataka Congress Turf War Simmers Again Over Milk Federation Polls

The upcoming election to the post of chairman of the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF), one of the state’s most influential cooperative bodies, has snowballed into a high-stakes political battle. At the heart of it lies a fierce turf war between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy DK Shivakumar—two titans of Karnataka Congress whose uneasy truce is being tested once again.

The spark this time is the surprise announcement by KR Raghavendra Hitnal, a close confidant of the Chief Minister and MLA from Koppal, that he will contest the coveted post—setting him up against DK Suresh, Shivakumar’s brother and the incumbent president of Bamul (Bangalore Milk Union Ltd).

Hitnal is now the third aspirant from the Siddaramaiah camp in the fray, alongside outgoing KMF chairman LBP Bheema Naik and Malur MLA KY Nanje Gowda—both of whom claim they were assured the post by the chief minister himself. The growing contest reflects a broader power struggle that has simmered ever since the Congress returned to power in Karnataka in 2023 with a decisive mandate.

High Stakes, Deeper Divides

What initially appeared as an internal tussle over a cooperative post is now morphing into a proxy war between the camps of Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar. While Shivakumar is keen to rehabilitate his brother Suresh after his defeat in the recent Lok Sabha polls, Siddaramaiah’s allies are vying for control of KMF, a post that comes with vast political influence—especially among rural voters.

Complicating matters further, PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi, a long-time rival of Shivakumar’s, has thrown his weight behind Hitnal. Jarkiholi’s involvement underscores the intensifying factionalism, particularly in northern Karnataka where his rivalry with Shivakumar’s confidante and Women and Child Welfare Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar in Belagavi is well known.

In a move that surprised many, Hitnal—who had no previous association with any milk union—was swiftly nominated by Siddaramaiah to the Rabkovi (Raichur, Ballari, Koppal and Vijayanagar) Milk Union on July 22, and elected its president unopposed just three days later. This fast-track elevation has not gone unnoticed.

KMF producers and cooperative leaders, meanwhile, are growing uneasy. RK Desai, president of the Karnataka Milk Producers’ Welfare Association, has publicly reminded state leaders that KMF is a cooperative body and its elections should remain apolitical. “It is disheartening that senior leaders like Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar have turned it into a battlefield for their internal clashes,” Desai told reporters.

A Fragile Truce at Risk

Ever since Congress returned to power with 136 seats—well above the majority mark of 113 in the 224-member Assembly—the party has had to manage an uneasy power-sharing agreement between its top two leaders. While Shivakumar was widely credited for steering the party to victory as state president, the Chief Minister’s chair eventually went to Siddaramaiah.

As per the arrangement reportedly brokered by the party ‘high command’, Siddaramaiah was to hold office for two-and-a-half years before handing it over to his deputy—a deadline that ends in November this year. But Siddaramaiah has made it clear that he intends to complete a full term, and the party unit now stands visibly divided between loyalists of both camps.

Although a temporary truce was arranged by senior leaders, including party president Mallikarjun Kharge, the latest KMF tussle threatens to reignite old tensions. With Hitnal’s candidacy gaining momentum, what was meant to be a cooperative election could now tip the balance in Karnataka Congress’s internal leadership struggle.

Caste Equations and Political Posturing

The fight also underscores the underlying caste dynamics that continue to shape Congress politics in Karnataka. Shivakumar's supporters have been assertively projecting his Vokkaliga identity, seeking to consolidate support within the dominant agrarian caste group. This has reportedly irked supporters of Siddaramaiah, a leader who has long built his base around AHINDA—an alliance of minorities, backward classes, and Dalits.

This identity-driven power play is intensifying at a time when Congress is trying to recalibrate its social coalition nationally, especially with upcoming Assembly elections in Bihar and other states where OBC consolidation is key. The Karnataka power struggle could thus have ramifications beyond the state.

Mounting Governance Challenges

While internal factionalism dominates headlines, the Congress government is also battling growing governance challenges. Allegations of corruption, favoritism, and misuse of public funds—from the State Tribal Development Corporation to the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA)—have become increasingly frequent.

Some MLAs have accused ministers of deliberately withholding development funds from rivals’ constituencies, prompting intervention from AICC general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala. Simultaneously, the party’s hallmark welfare schemes—like the Gruha Lakshmi and Anna Bhagya guarantees—are facing criticism for inconsistent implementation.

The BJP, now in opposition, has been quick to seize the moment. Leader of Opposition R. Ashoka recently cited National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data claiming a 40% spike in crime under Congress rule compared to the previous BJP government—alleging a breakdown of law and order under the new regime.

Political Instability on Horizon?

Amidst economic stress, rising inflation, and fiscal constraints worsened by GST-related dues from the Centre, Karnataka’s Congress-led government appears caught in a vortex. The leadership debate—reopened now through the KMF election—has only added fuel to the fire.

With Shivakumar’s ambitions showing no signs of receding and Siddaramaiah holding firm, the Congress high command is now under pressure to either enforce the earlier agreement or risk a deepening of internal fault lines. For the voter, however, the ongoing drama underscores a stark reality: instead of addressing inflation, employment, and rural distress, Karnataka’s political class remains locked in battles for power and patronage.

If not resolved judiciously, this episode could trigger wider instability—turning a cooperative election into the first real test of the Congress government's political coherence.