 Solution

Write the variables as $(u,v)\in {\mathbb{R}}^n\times {\mathbb{R}}^k$, with $a=(u_0,v_0)$. The hypothesis makes $D_{u}f(a)$ invertible. The implicit function theorem supplies neighbourhoods $U,V$ of $u_0,v_0$ and a unique smooth map $\varphi :V\to U$ such thatIts derivative is $D\varphi (v_0)=-(D_{u}f(a){)}^{-1}{D}_{v}f(a)$. Thus the derivative of this parametrization has image exactly $\ker Df(a)$.

Since $h$ has a constrained maximum at $a$, differentiating $v\mapsto h(\varphi (v),v)$ gives zero in every direction. Therefore $Dh(a)$ vanishes on $\ker Df(a)$. In finite-dimensional linear algebra, $(\ker Df(a){)}^{\perp }$ is the row space of $Df(a)$. ConsequentlyThe full-rank hypothesis is what permits this Lagrange multiplier conclusion; it is not a consequence of constrained maximality alone at a singular constraint.