Karnataka CM’s political secy removed amid row over Davangere South bypoll

KArnataka Chief government minister Siddaramaiah dismissed his political secretarial assistant, Naseer Ahmed, followers allegations that he failed to back up the us congress party’s official candidate during the April 9 by-election in Davangere South.The notification, released by the protocol wing of the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms, said he had been “relieved from the post with immediate effect.”The removal leaves Siddaramaiah without a political secretary. The previous office-holder, K. Govindaraj, had been removed in June 2025 following a stampede outside the Chinnaswamy stadium that resulted in 11 deaths.Senior Congress figures had accused Ahmed and others of not backing the party’s chosen candidate, Samarth Mallikarjun, and instead supporting rival contenders. The controversy centres on dissatisfaction among some minority leaders over the party’s ticket decision, with claims that Ahmed, along with Housing and Minorities Affairs Minister B. Z. Zameer Ahmed Khan and leader Abdul Jabbar, had pushed for a Muslim candidate. When the party nominated Mallikarjun, the trio is alleged to have distanced themselves from the campaign.Deputy Chief Minister and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president D. K. Shivakumar said Ahmed had been assigned a specific task during the bypoll. “The party had instructed Nazir to go to Davangere South assembly constituency and make the rebel candidate withdraw. He has failed to fulfill this responsibility. I am yet to receive a report on what happened there,” he said.The disciplinary action follows a series of developments within the party. Abdul Jabbar resigned as chairperson of the Congress minorities department on April 11, amid rising tensions over the by-election. Some legislators have also alleged a coordinated attempt by certain leaders to undermine the party’s campaign as well.Even as the decision was formalised, Ahmed received support from sections of party workers. Groups from Kolar and Chikkaballapur districts visited his Bengaluru residence, urging him not to resign.Attention has also turned to Zameer Ahmed Khan, who has come under scrutiny, though no formal action has been announced. Siddaramaiah summoned the minister to his residence on Tuesday.“Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has asked me to come to his residence in half an hour. I am going there now,” Khan told reporters.He later said he was unaware of the developments surrounding Ahmed’s removal and Jabbar’s resignation. “I was not in Bengaluru when Legislative Council member K. Abdul Jabbar resigned from the post of state president of the Pradesh Congress Minority Wing. I am not aware of the resignation of Naseer Ahmed from the post of political secretary to CM Siddaramaiah,” he said.Speaking at a Dr Ambedkar Jayanti programme, Khan acknowledged discontent among some voters. “It is true that there was dissatisfaction among Muslims in the Davangere South constituency, it is true that there was dissatisfaction among the local Muslim voters of Davangere South. They had asked for a ticket, they were upset because they did not get it. Then all the leaders of our party were involved in the campaign to vote for candidate Samarth,” he said.“We will definitely win the Davangere South constituency by-election,” he added.Shivakumar said that the action was based on internal assessments. “Discipline is very important in any party. We selected the candidate after taking everyone into confidence. Then we were in constant contact with all the leaders. The Chief Minister has taken a decision based on the reports of our leaders,” he said. When asked whether further disciplinary measures would follow, he said, “I have no information about this.”