Mon Dec 02 10:44:41 UTC 2024: ## Congress Leaders Clash at Award Ceremony in Mangalore
**Mangalore:** A public brawl erupted between senior Congress leaders during an award ceremony for newly elected gram panchayat members in Dakshina Kannada district. The incident occurred at the district Congress office, reportedly during a felicitation event for candidates who won recent gram panchayat by-elections.
The fight allegedly involved District Congress President Harish Kumar and former Zilla Panchayat member Prakash Chandra Shetty. Sources suggest a disagreement over the format of the awards ceremony sparked the altercation. Shetty reportedly suggested that the winners be honored on stage, while Kumar reportedly preferred an alternative arrangement. The verbal disagreement escalated into a physical fight.
The incident unfolded in the presence of several prominent Congress leaders including KPCC working president Manjunath Bhandari, former minister Ramanath Rai, MLC Ivan D’Souza, Mithun Rai, and Inayat Ali. While initial reports indicated a full-blown fistfight, Shetty later downplayed the incident, stating that a minor argument occurred and was quickly resolved.
The clash highlights underlying tensions within the district Congress leadership, with sources suggesting simmering disagreements had been brewing for some time before culminating in this public display. The incident raises questions about the internal unity of the party ahead of upcoming elections.
First Piper 