Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly R. Ashoka on Wednesday, 7 October 2026, claimed that Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar was worried about alleged sting operations targeting Congress ministers because he had previously been involved in such activities himself. Ashoka made the remarks in Chitradurga, responding to reports that Shivakumar had raised apprehensions at a Cabinet meeting about the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Janata Dal (Secular) (JD(S)) potentially targeting Congress ministers through sting operations.

Ashoka's Accusations Against Shivakumar

'Shivakumar is worried over sting operations being conducted on Cabinet ministers because he was into it earlier,' Ashoka said, asserting that the Chief Minister's concern reflected his own mindset. He further claimed that 'a thief's mindset is always suspicious,' alleging that Shivakumar was projecting his own past habits onto party leaders. Ashoka accused the Chief Minister of now preaching to Congress legislators on conduct he himself had allegedly practised.

Ashoka went on to describe the Congress as a 'sinking ship,' claiming that several party MLAs were already aware they would struggle to win the next elections and were privately considering switching parties. He alleged that a number of Congress MLAs had already been in contact with BJP leaders, driven by dissatisfaction over inadequate development funds from Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar. 'Congress is a divided house,' Ashoka said.

BJP MLC C.T. Ravi Joins the Attack

BJP MLC C.T. Ravi, speaking in Bengaluru, also trained his sights on Shivakumar, criticising him for allegedly advising ministers to avoid being caught rather than urging them to remain honest. 'Advising ministers not to be caught and continue the theft is like an experienced thief teaching other thieves,' Ravi said pointedly. He added that Shivakumar should instead adopt the approach attributed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi — of neither indulging in corruption nor allowing others to do so. Ravi took a further jab at Shivakumar, calling him the 'most apt Chief Minister for Kaliyuga' and suggesting he might even fool 'Kali.'

Former CM Sadananda Gowda Weighs In

Former Chief Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda, reacting to the controversy in Bengaluru, said he did not wish to comment on the internal administration of the Congress government. However, he claimed that Shivakumar appeared keen to retain the Chief Ministership and was concerned that corruption cases involving ministers could ultimately implicate him. 'I don't want to comment on their internal administration,' Gowda said, adding that the apparent intention was for Shivakumar to hold on to his position while managing the political fallout from ministers facing scrutiny.

Context: Congress Under Pressure in Karnataka

This episode comes amid persistent pressure on the Karnataka Congress government over governance and accountability. The BJP has previously flagged the government's handling of the drought situation, and reports suggest that Congress's own MLAs have raised concerns about their administration on multiple fronts. Notably, this is not the first time allegations of internal discord have surfaced within the ruling party in Karnataka. The sting operation controversy adds a new dimension to what critics argue is a pattern of governance-related turbulence within the Congress-led government. All BJP allegations are, as yet, unverified claims and have not been independently corroborated.