Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president B.K. Hariprasad on Saturday, 31 October defended the party's decision to expel Krupa Alva for six years, stating that she had failed to respond to a show-cause notice issued over activities that allegedly embarrassed senior party figures. The expulsion comes in the wake of an alleged sting video that prominently features Alva in connection with former Chief Minister and Congress Working Committee member Siddaramaiah.

Why Krupa Alva Was Expelled

Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Hariprasad said unfavourable media coverage of Alva's activities had placed public representatives and party leaders in an embarrassing position, prompting the party to issue a show-cause notice with a three-day deadline for a response. When no reply came, the party moved to expel her. 'As she did not respond to the notice, she has been expelled from the party for six years,' Hariprasad said.

He further disclosed that the notice itself was returned undelivered. 'The notice sent to her came back undelivered. We had no other option but to take this action,' he said, addressing questions about whether Alva had actually received the communication.

The Sting Video and Alva's Role

Alva was prominently visible in the alleged sting footage linked to Siddaramaiah, a Congress Working Committee member and former Chief Minister of Karnataka. She is also reportedly heard in the video making statements connected to securing a party ticket to contest assembly polls from the coastal Karnataka region. The Congress has characterised this as direct evidence warranting disciplinary action.

When asked about reports that Alva had travelled abroad, Hariprasad said central agencies — including the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) — would look into the matter. He added that the party had expelled her because 'there was direct evidence against her,' and indicated that any question of whether others were involved behind Alva had been left to the relevant authorities.

Why Action Took Time

Responding to criticism over delayed action, Hariprasad said the party leadership had deliberately waited to give Alva an opportunity to explain herself. 'In a democratic system, everyone should be given an opportunity. We issued the notice and waited for her response. Since she did not reply, we took a decision,' he said. The sequence, he argued, followed due process rather than amounting to foot-dragging.

Hariprasad's Broader Political Remarks

The Karnataka Congress chief also used the occasion to comment on the party's performance in the Nagpur MLC polls, making a pointed dig at the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) by saying that Nagpur translates to 'Havinapura' — land of snakes — in Kannada. He alleged that an organisation spreading the 'poison of hatred' had been challenged there, and argued the result signalled it could be defeated across India.

He pushed back against claims that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had defeated Congress, noting losses by prominent BJP figures in Varanasi, Bihar, Nagpur, and constituencies associated with Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

On Janata Dal (Secular) chief and former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda meeting former Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa and subsequently speculating about the state government's future, Hariprasad was dismissive. 'When an elephant walks, wolves and foxes follow behind it, hoping that something might fall. There is nothing wrong with that,' he said.

Hariprasad also said thousands of Congress workers from Karnataka had already reached Delhi and would participate in a large protest at Ramlila Maidan to defend democracy and the Constitution, at the call of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. He alleged that railway arrangements for party workers from Karnataka had been denied permission, hampering participation.

With central agencies now reportedly in the picture and Alva's whereabouts unconfirmed, the sting row is far from over — the coming days are likely to determine whether the controversy deepens for the Siddaramaiah camp.