Congress party is not by or for individuals: Priyank Kharge

Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge on Wednesday (January 7, 2026) lashed out at former Minister and MLA K.N. Rajanna for his remark that Congress would become irrelevant in the State without Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

Mr Rajanna, a Congress MLA, had said on Tuesday that there was no Congress without Siddaramaiah.

Speaking to reporters here, Mr Kharge, without naming Mr Rajanna, said that after winning and coming to power, issuing such statements was wrong. “The party is not by, or for, individuals. None must forget that we (leaders) are here because of workers. Without workers, neither I nor anyone else is a leader,” Mr Priyank said, while responding to a question.

Asked about delays in appointing Congress workers to boards and corporations, Mr. Kharge said they must have patience.

Mr Kharge continued his tirade against the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) after a special court issued notices to him and other Congress leaders in a defamation case. “RSS is an unregistered, unregulated and unconstitutional body. Why should we be scared? I follow the Buddha-Basava ideology. Ambedkar’s struggle is in my blood,” Mr. Kharge said.

He further said, “Why does (RSS chief) Mohan Bhagwat get advance security liaison at taxpayers’ expense? “It is not that the RSS should be around for another 100 years. It is better if everyone functions as per the Constitution,” he said. (EOM)