Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president D.K. Shivakumar loudly told party workers that he would leave without reviewing the digital membership drive in Yadgir if they did not step off the stage, on March 23.
The Congress leader got upset when enthusiast party workers occupied the stage and surrounding areas, and continuously shouted ‘DK DK DK’ even as the organisers repeatedly requested them to be seated so that the meeting could begin.
Organisers sought help from the police to restore order at the venue.
In a bid to calm the crowd, the organisers began rendition of Vande Mataram song followed by the national anthem without an announcement.
Some of the organisers allegedly abused media personnel and told them to leave the venue. Some media representatives left the venue and boycotted the programme.
According to reliable sources, the commotion was the outcome of a game of one-upmanship among three factions in the local Congress unit. On March 22, the factions had a tussle over erecting banners and hoardings on the main road of Yadgir to greet Mr. Shivakumar. This spilled over to March 23 with supporters of the three factions vying with each other for the attention of the KPCC president at the meeting.
