Published Oct 27, 2026 | 9:00 AM ⚊ Updated Oct 27, 2026 | 9:00 AM
HD Kumaraswamy, D K Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah.
When former Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah joined the long list of politicians who went to court to get an injunction order over a purported video, there was little doubt that it would leave the DK Shivakumar-led Congress government in a tight spot.
Over a dozen politicians in Karnataka, cutting across party lines, have obtained similar injunctions over the years. Several are former CMs like Basavaraj Bommai, BS Yediyurappa and DV Sadananda Gowda.
Congress stalwart Siddaramaiah is now the latest, albeit with a slight difference. He followed up the injunction petition immediately with a police complaint insisting on a thorough probe. His allegation: A fabricated video is being passed off as a “sting operation” with the intent to blackmail and defame him.
Siddaramaiah’s son Dr Yathindra — a minister in the DK Shivakumar cabinet — made public statements alleging the involvement of Congress’ own leaders in the purported “sting video”. Siddaramaiah himself went a step further and named Krupa Alva of Congress and Rakesh Shetty, owner of Power TV, as those behind the alleged plot.
If the injunction, complaint and the public statements were not enough to make the Congress government in Karnataka squirm, Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy seized on the opportunity to launch a two-pronged attack on his two political rivals — Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar. His stance on the sting operation row has also cemented his position as the sharpest opposition voice, leaving the BJP miles behind. In all, the sting operation row has allowed Kumaraswamy to get three birds with one stone, even if it has come at the cost of his party’s IT cell workers.
While neither the purported sting video nor the claims it makes are verified, it allegedly shows Alva and Shetty in conversation with another woman who makes claims of incidents from 2011. Those in the know claim the sting was shot in 2023, ahead of the Karnataka assembly elections. This led to speculation that the video was intended to blackmail Siddaramaiah into giving poll tickets. However, the purported video was made public in 2026, raising the question of “why now” and “by whom”.
The police probe is now focused on two questions: Why and Who.
The manner in which the row is playing out has left the Congress government embarrassed.
On one hand is Siddaramaiah — the tallest AHINDA (Kannada acronym for Minorities, backward classes and Dalits) in the Congress who graciously stepped down from the CM’s chair when asked — making allegations that his own party colleagues had conspired against him. On the other is the threat of the row’s fallout on public perception, opposition attack, vote banks and deeper rifts within the party.
The murmurs of disappointment and clamour for inclusion after a change of guard had just started to settle down in the Congress when the sting video row rattled everyone again. The uncertainty of what the probe will lead to and how it will impact the government has left several people in the Congress anxious.
The long list of people summoned, detained, and arrested for questioning includes Alva and Shetty, but more interestingly, persons linked to the JD(S) — HD Kumaraswamy’s party. After his IT cell office bearers — HS Chandan and Mohan Gowda — were issued notices, Kumaraswamy defiantly led a protest at the police commissioner’s office, accusing the Congress government of targeting JD(S) workers instead of those who had carried out the sting. But the fact that the first arrest in the case was that of Ritesh Pandey said to be associated with JD(S), didn’t take the heat off the party. It is noteworthy that Pandey’s X (formerly Twitter) “following” list was telling.
Days later, Kumaraswamy changed his defiant stance and appealed to his party workers to cooperate with the police. Even as his party workers are under the radar in the case, Kumaraswamy has achieved what he set out to do.
Firstly, despite having just 18 MLAs in the 224-member state assembly and being a junior partner in the BJP-led opposition NDA in Karnataka, Kumaraswamy has emerged as the single-most effective opposition voice. As a faction-riddled BJP struggles to mount a united attack, the former Chief Minister has single-handedly and relentlessly gone after the Congress government. It isn’t BJP state president BY Vijayendra or LoP in the assembly R Ashoka but Kumaraswamy who has given headaches to the Congress government.
Secondly, by claiming to “empathise” with Siddaramaiah despite their legendary rivalry that led to the latter’s exit from JD(S), Kumaraswamy has used the sting video row to rock the fragile balance of DK Shivakumar’s cabinet. The Congress has an overwhelming majority in the state assembly. Neither numbers nor stability are Congress’ problems, but the discomfort within the cabinet and grievances from those left out of it ever since the transition of power in May this year have made the CMship challenging for DK Shivakumar.
With Siddaramaiah filing a complaint and exposing bickering in the Congress and Kumaraswamy jumping on the opportunity to fan the flames, leaders of the DK Shivakumar government find themselves stuck between the devil and the deep sea. They can neither accuse Siddaramaiah of playing into HD Kumaraswamy’s hands, nor can they disapprove of the former CM demanding a transparent probe.
Thirdly, a single-caste dependent party like the JD(S) cannot afford to lose its vote bank. Ever since DK Shivakumar, a Vokkaliga, became the chief minister, the JD(S) has been wary of losing a considerable chunk of Vokkaliga votes to the Congress despite maintaining that the community will not back anyone except its leaders. Irrespective of what JD(S) leaders profess publicly, the fears of the community seeing DK Shivakumar as a bankable leader are real for the opposition party.
By exploiting an already existing rivalry, Kumaraswamy is looking to pit Siddaramaiah against DK Shivakumar in the sting op video row. Many in the Congress believe that Kumaraswamy’s repeated claims that DK Shivakumar was orchestrating sting operations to grab political power are aimed at riling up Siddaramaiah against Shivakumar. The Congress is dependent on Siddaramaiah’s mass leader appeal come elections. A non-cooperative Siddaramaiah may just be the gift JD(S) needs.
As the probe stands today, Rakesh Shetty and Krupa Alva are being questioned as suspects who carried out the sting, while those associated with the JD(S) are being probed for distributing the purported video. Siddaramaiah is angry, and Congress leaders are worried that his anger may cloud his judgement. Those close to Siddaramaiah ask why he was being targeted even after he stepped down from the CM’s chair without resistance. Those in the government and the party are now focused on placating the former chief minister, while the row and the probe have dented the Congress’ momentum in the state.
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(Edited by R Rajesh Kumar.)
