Year of leadership tussle, laws that kicked a row in Karnataka

THe u.s. Congress authorities in mysore navigated a litigious serial publication of developments in 2025, many of the key ones among them resulting in questions that remain unresolved.The internal leadership crisis in the ruling party framed a large part of the year’s political dimensions and provided valuable weaponry to the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Over the year, the state’s top leadership— chief minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy DK Shivakumar, both reiterated dismissals of any brewing discontent within the party, even as Siddaramaiah also repeatedly asserted that he would complete a five-year term. Once the government crossed the halfway mark of its tenure on November 20, party legislators in “Shivakumar’s camp” openly spoke of a change in the leadership, with Shivakumar taking over as chief minister, although the deputy chief minister himself has repeatedly disavowed these claims and said publicly that he is content to serve as deputy chief minister and a party worker. Shivakumar is, of course, also the president of the state party unit.Beyond political intrigue, 2025 was scarred by a tragedy that shook Bengaluru and the state at large. On June 4, celebrations following Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s maiden IPL title turned deadly when a stampede broke out outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. Eleven people were killed and more than 50 injured as thousands of cricket fans gathered in the central business district. The incident exposed serious lapses in crowd management and emergency preparedness, prompting authorities to ban the hosting of matches at the stadium and triggering widespread demands for accountability.Amid the turbulence, Karnataka also found itself in the international spotlight for reasons far removed from politics or tragedy. Writer Banu Mushtaq and translator Deepa Bhasthi won the Booker Prize for Heart Lamp, bringing rare global recognition to Kannada literature. The honour, however, soon became entangled in a political controversy after the state government invited Mushtaq to inaugurate the Mysuru Dasara festivities.The BJP objected to the decision, questioning her views on the Kannada language and Goddess Chamundeshwari. The dispute escalated to the Supreme Court, which dismissed a plea challenging the government’s decision, allowing the inauguration to proceed.Bengaluru witnessed its most far reaching administrative change in decades with the implementation of the Greater Bengaluru Governance Act on May 15. The law split the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike into 5 municipal corporations, fundamentally altering the city’s civic structure.The government argued that decentralisation would improve service delivery in a rapidly expanding metropolis, while critics warned of coordination challenges and rising administrative costs.The legislature closed the year by passing a series of consequential laws.Karnataka became the first southern state to enact a dedicated anti hate speech law with the Karnataka Hate Speech and Hate Crimes (Prevention) Bill 2025, prescribing prison terms of up to 7 years. Soon after, the assembly passed the Karnataka Social Boycott Prevention Prohibition and Redressal Bill, aimed at criminalising informal village councils that impose social sanctions, a practice linked to caste based exclusion.Crime and policing remained under scrutiny throughout the year. In Bidar, an armed robbery involving ₹83 lakh meant for ATM refilling resulted in the killing of a staff member who resisted the attackers. In Bengaluru, police cracked a ₹7 crore robbery case in November involving a gang led by a serving police constable. In Davanagere, 2 sub inspectors were among 7 persons arrested in connection with a gold robbery, deepening concerns over corruption within the force.Several high profile criminal cases reached decisive stages. Former Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna, the grandson of former prime minister HD Deve Gowda, was sentenced to life imprisonment and fined ₹10 lakh on August 2 in a sexual assault case. In another sensational case, Harshavardhini Ranya Rao, the stepdaughter of a DGP rank officer, was arrested with 14.2 kg of gold after multiple trips to Dubai, exposing a large scale smuggling operation.The year also marked the loss of prominent figures. Veteran actor BS Saroja Devi, a towering presence in south Indian cinema, died in 2025. Congress MLA Shamanuru Shivashankarappa, one of the country’s most senior serving politicians, also passed away, closing a long chapter in Karnataka’s political life.As the state looks to 2026, Karnataka carries forward unresolved leadership rivalries, ambitious new laws and pressing questions about governance and public trust.Whether the ruling Congress can stabilise its internal politics and translate legislative intent into effective administration will shape the course of the year ahead.