‘Political loyalty’: Siddaramaiah, Shivakumar under BJP fire for prioritising Rahul Gandhi over German chancellor

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy DK Shivakumar skipped welcoming German Chancellor Friedrich Merz during his visit to the state on Tuesday, choosing instead to meet Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Mysuru, a move that drew sharp criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party.

The BJP accused the Congress leadership of placing “political loyalty” above Karnataka’s global standing and economic interests. Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar were in Mysuru to receive Rahul Gandhi, who was en route to Ooty in neighbouring Tamil Nadu. In their absence, Merz was received at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport by Minister for Large and Medium Industries MB Patil and other senior officials.

Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly, R Ashoka, termed the decision a case of “misplaced priorities and missed opportunities,” saying the visit of the head of government from one of the world’s strongest economies had been “relegated to the back seat.”

In a post on X, Ashoka said Merz’s visit carried “immense diplomatic, economic and strategic significance” for Karnataka and could have opened doors to investment, industry, employment and long-term growth. “While the German Chancellor landed in Bengaluru, the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister chose to be in Mysuru to receive Rahul Gandhi, who was merely transitioning to Ooty. Let that sink in,” he wrote.

Ashoka said the episode reflected how “political loyalty and high command pleasing” had taken precedence over the state’s interests. “This is not just bad optics — it reflects a deep disregard for the state’s interests. Karnataka deserves better,” he added.

The BJP’s Karnataka unit echoed the criticism in a post on X, alleging that the chief minister’s chair was being used to please the party high command rather than serve the people. State BJP president BY Vijayendra accused Siddaramaiah of opting to meet Rahul Gandhi to “safeguard his own chair,” a reference to ongoing speculation over a power tussle within the Congress, with talk of DK Shivakumar potentially taking over as chief minister after half the term.

“This is not merely a protocol lapse, it reflects misplaced priorities,” Vijayendra said, adding that Karnataka was losing out on major investment opportunities and global partnerships to neighbouring states because of an “obsession with political survival over governance.”

During his Bengaluru visit, Chancellor Merz toured the Bosch campus at Adugodi and the Centre for Nano Science and Engineering at the Indian Institute of Science before departing the city, according to news agency PTI.