He claimed both are “arrogant” and tolerated only because of their fathers’ power, accusing them of acting as proxies for Mallikarjun Kharge and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
The BJP MP also charged that Priyank Kharge’s ideological attacks on the RSS and BJP mirror Rahul Gandhi’s rhetoric, while Yathindra allegedly works to “undercut” Deputy CM D K Shivakumar.
BJP MP Lahar Singh Siroya on Monday launched a sharp attack on Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge and Congress MLC Yathindra Siddaramaiah, alleging that the state was being "controlled by two mediocre sons" who "stoke needless controversy" and "ride roughshod over all seniors" within both the party and the government.
Siroya claimed that despite being "arrogant" and repeatedly violating their own high command’s guidelines, they continue to be tolerated.
"One is not sure if the two act independently or are mouthpieces of their fathers? From my many political interactions, I have learnt that the two sons are intensely disliked by their own partymen. They are being tolerated because their fathers are in power. The moment their fathers step down, I am told, the reality for these two sons may become very different. If one son now acts like a super Congress President, the other acts like a super Chief Minister," Siroya said in a post on X.
Priyank Kharge is the son of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, while Yathindra Siddaramaiah is the son of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
The BJP MP further alleged that despite the repeated controversies, both fathers appear unwilling or unable to restrain their sons.
"Perhaps they secretly enjoy their dominance in the party and government, and use them as tools to communicate and accomplish what they cannot say or do directly," he said.
"This indirectly earns browny points for Kharge Senior with the Nehru-Gandhi family and helps him survive in Delhi. Kharge Junior has become a kind of guru to the Siddaramaiah government on ideological matters," he alleged.
Referring to Priyank Kharge’s recent comments that RSS path sanchalan should be banned, Siroya said the Siddaramaiah government rushed to act on it without considering legal feasibility or debating whether such a move amounted to an unconstitutional act rooted in "incurable prejudice".
He also accused Yathindra of trying to "undercut" Deputy Chief Minister and KPCC President D K Shivakumar to secure his father’s position as chief minister.
"I sincerely hope Karnataka soon escapes from the vice grip of these two dynasts, and the Rajyotsava month of November brings about change that saves the state from further decline," Siroya added.
(with inputs from PTI)
