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Indore, March 5 (IANS) A young man, who allegedly committed suicide by jumping off the fifth floor of a residential building succumbed during treatment at a hospital in Indore early on Thursday.

The deceased has been identified as Raj Makwana (23).

Makwana resided with his parents and other family members on the fifth floor of a building in the Tapti Complex, located in the Chandan Nagar police station area of Indore.

The incident occurred when Raj reportedly indulged into a verbal spat with security staff of the Tapti Complex.

Family members of the deceased said that Raj was walking downstairs in his apartment building on Wednesday night as wasn’t feeling well due to heat. He was going outside the Complex when security staff asked him the reason for his late-night stroll.

This led to the escalation of verbal spat, which prompted the security staff to call the local area police. Family alleged that a policeman stopped Raj, questioned him, and even slapped him during the argument.

Raj, along with his parents, returned to their flat located on the fifth floor of the building and a few moments later he jumped from the building. He was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment; however, doctors declared him dead on arrival.

Upon receiving information, police arrived at the scene and sent the body for a post-mortem examination during early hours on Thursday. Police said that a case has been registered and currently the matter is under investigation.

Family members told police that Raj’s mother Rekha Makwana tried to persuade her son to come inside, but he went back outside. When she went downstairs to check on him, Raj jumped right in front of her. After the incident, the family sat outside the hospital overnight.

The family members also said that Raj was facing trouble in breathing, so he was taking a walk outside. Initially, a guard stopped him, leading to an argument. The guard then called passing policemen.

A police official in Chandan Nagar police station told IANS that prima-facie the case appears a suicide, however, the exact reason would be known after the post-mortem examination report will come.

–IANS

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New Delhi, Nov 28 (IANS) The Congress is once again facing the Karnataka heat with leadership crisis and open rivalry intensifying between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his Deputy D.K. Shivakumar.

The party high command is struggling to balance loyalties and prevent a split amidst a clash rooted in caste equations, class appeal, and competing political bases. The current problem dates back to the 2023 Assembly victory when the party swept to power under Siddaramaiah’s leadership, simultaneously relying heavily on Shivakumar’s organisational skills.

Caught between contradicting claims by the two stalwarts and their followers, an informal understanding was said to have been evolved where Siddaramaiah would serve as Chief Minister for half of the government’s five-year tenure, followed by Shivakumar for the remaining two-and-a-half-year term. Now, with Siddaramaiah having crossed the halfway mark in November 2025, Shivakumar’s camp is pressing hard for a transition.

The other side, meanwhile, is reportedly insisting on completing the full five-year period. Incidentally, a similar conflict was reported between Rajasthan’s then Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his deputy Sachin Pilot during Congress rule in the state.

Pilot aspired to become Chief Minister, while Gehlot resisted stepping down. This led to a rebellion in 2020, said to be aimed at toppling the government following years of factional rivalry. This created a major crisis for the Congress government in Rajasthan. That feud became symbolic of the Congress party’s generational divide and continued despite the Congress high command, including Rahul Gandhi’s interventions.

The feud weakened the Congress in Rajasthan, creating instability in the state government and finally in its exit from power. Elsewhere, too, like in Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal, among other states, Congress infighting has led to the waning of the party and subsequent political insignificance.

Meanwhile, in Karnataka, Siddaramaiah reportedly draws his strength from the AHINDA, comprising minorities, backward classes, and Dalits. He is seen as a social justice champion, appealing to rural poor and marginalised groups. His populist schemes, like free rice distribution and social welfare programmes, have helped cement his image as a leader of the masses.

On the other hand, D.K. Shivakumar, a Vokkaliga strongman, represents one of Karnataka’s most influential agrarian castes. His wealth, business networks, and ability to mobilise resources make him the party’s organisational engineer. Thus, he has been the party’s moneybag and troubleshooter – financing campaigns and handling crises – thus earning him leverage with the high command.

While elevating Shivakumar could trigger Vokkaliga consolidation, it would alienate others, like Dalits, Muslims, and OBCs. Further, his aggressive style and reputation for wealth-driven politics may not resonate with poorer sections.

Meanwhile, the open airing of demands and counter-demands has dented the party’s image with MLAs from both camps lobbying in Delhi, creating a perception of instability. Though Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has acknowledged the crisis and promised intervention, the party high command’s apparent indecision reflects otherwise.

Despite Shivakumar’s request for an audience, Rahul Gandhi has asked him to “wait”, according to reports. Though Shivakumar has publicly said he is “not in a hurry”, his supporters are intensifying pressure, citing the reported CM-for-half-a-term “pact”.

Karnataka, being the Congress’s biggest success amidst a series of political setbacks, a split here would weaken the party nationally.

The Congress high command is preparing to summon both leaders to Delhi for talks, with Kharge, Rahul, and Sonia Gandhi expected to mediate. A mid-term swap, honouring the alleged pact, may appease Shivakumar but would destabilise the base enjoyed by Siddaramaiah. A compromise on a “third name” or a temporary Chief Minister from outside both camps risks weakening Congress’s mass appeal.

Amidst the current scenario, the party high command faces the problem of performing a classic balancing act without even the basic props.

–IANS

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