Naseer Ahmed removed as CM’s political secretary amid anti party controversy
Action follows internal rift in Congress over Davanagere South bypoll and alleged cross campaigning
The Karnataka government has removed Naseer Ahmed from his role as Political Secretary to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah after allegations of activities seen as going against the party line.
The decision was formalised through an order issued on April 13 by the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms. Ahmed was relieved of his duties after reportedly refusing to step down despite directions from the party leadership.
The move comes at a time when the ruling Congress is dealing with internal disagreements linked to the Davanagere South Assembly by election. Just days earlier, Abdul Jabbar resigned from his post, adding to signs of unrest within the party.
The political situation in the constituency has been sensitive since the passing of veteran Congress leader Shamnur Shivashankarappa in December. His death left a strong political legacy in the region, with his family continuing to hold influence. His son SS Mallikarjun serves as a minister, while his daughter in law Prabha Mallikarjun is a Member of Parliament.
Tensions escalated when efforts were made to field SS Mallikarjun’s son, Samarth Mallikarjun, as the party candidate for the bypoll. The move reportedly led to disagreements within local party ranks.
According to reports, Naseer Ahmed, along with Housing and Minorities Affairs Minister BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan and Abdul Jabbar, pushed for a Muslim candidate in the constituency. After the party denied them the ticket, the leaders are believed to have distanced themselves from campaign efforts and may have indirectly supported rival candidates, including those linked to the Social Democratic Party of India.
They were also said to have opposed the candidacy of Samarth Mallikarjun, who eventually became the Congress nominee.
This is not the first time such action has been taken within the Chief Minister’s Office. In June 2025, MLC K Govindaraju was removed from the same position following controversy over a public event linked to the Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s IPL title celebration, which ended in a tragic stampede.