Shidlaghatta incident: KPCC issues show-cause notice to Rajiv Gowda

The Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) has issued a show-cause notice to Rajiv Gowda, the Congress candidate from Shidlaghatta in the 2023 Assembly elections, alleging his conduct amounted to indiscipline and was detrimental to the party’s interests.

In the notice dated January 15, 2026, KPCC working president (administration) G C Chandrashekar stated that it had come to the party’s notice that Gowda had made personal remarks against the Municipal Commissioner over the removal of a banner related to a private event during his telephonic conversation with the Commissioner and the audio and video clip of which was widely circulated in the media.

The notice stated that the Congress leader’s conduct and derogatory words had caused embarrassment to the party and was a violation of the party discipline.

The KPCC called upon the member to submit his written explanation within seven days failing which the disciplinary committee will take an appropriate action.

It may be recalled that an audio clip purportedly capturing the Congress leader threatening Shidlaghatta Municipal Commissioner Amrutha Gowda over the removal of an “unauthorised” banner had sparked a political row in Chikkaballapur district. It had also led to civic body employees staging a protest demanding action.

The BJP accused the Congress of fostering a “goonda state,” with state president B Y Vijayendra calling the behaviour towards a woman officer “unpardonable.”