2 min readBengaluruApr 15, 2026 04:36 PM IST
The Karnataka Congress Wednesday suspended senior leader and three-time MLC Abdul Jabbar from its primary membership “in view of his anti-party activities in the recent by-election of Davanagere South Assembly Constituency.”
Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar made the announcement in a release.
The move comes just days after Jabbar resigned as chairman of KPCC’s minority wing. His resignation had come a day after a section of minority leaders from the Congress, MLC Saleem Ahmed and MLA Rizwan Arshad, accused ‘some senior leaders’ of attempting to sabotage the Congress’s prospects in the segment that was out for polls on April 9.
This had triggered a divide among Muslim leaders in the Congress. Apart from Jabbar, Housing Minister B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan and Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s former political secretary Naseer Ahmed are also accused of working against the party’s interests due to their differences over the choice of candidate for the segment.
Jabbar was among the aspirants for the party ticket for the Davanagere South bypoll but was overlooked in favour of Samarth Shamanur, grandson of former MLA Shamanur Shivashankarappa and son of Karnataka minister S S Mallikarjuna.
The decision had not gone down well with several Congress leaders from the community, and had even triggered a rebellion in the form of Sadiq Pahilwan, a Congress leader who retired from the race without withdrawing his nomination papers.
On Monday, the Karnataka Government removed Naseer from the post of political secretary, even as speculation persisted over possible action against Zameer. The minister was summoned by Siddaramaiah Tuesday. He also met Naseer later to discuss the developments.
