Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy on Thursday, 5 November 2026, launched a sharp counter-attack against Karnataka's Minister for Home, IT and BT Priyank Kharge at a press conference in New Delhi, responding to a derogatory remark by embracing his rural identity and challenging the Kharge family's record in Gurmitkal constituency.

Kumaraswamy's Defiant Response

'I say proudly that I am a village idiot,' Kumaraswamy declared, turning the insult on its head. He invoked his father and former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda's journey from an ordinary farming family to the country's highest executive office, saying: 'My father always proudly says that he is the son of a farmer. After becoming Prime Minister, even for 10 months, he made contributions to the country. There are records of his achievements, and people gave him the title of 'son of the soil'.'

Kumaraswamy added: 'You may wear suits and have studied in prestigious institutions, but I know the difficulties faced by farmers who wear dirty clothes. We have not come from the background you belong to. We come from ordinary village families.'

Challenge to the Kharge Family's Record in Gurmitkal

Kumaraswamy challenged Priyank Kharge to explain what his family — including his father, All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Mallikarjun Kharge — had delivered to the farmers and rural households of Gurmitkal, a constituency that has elected members of the Kharge family to the Assembly and Parliament eight times. 'Those villagers, farmers and rural families have given your family responsibility for nearly 40 years. How much have you contributed to improving their lives?' he asked.

He also questioned how many rural families had benefited during Priyank Kharge's tenure handling the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR) portfolio.

KPSC Controversy and Document Allegations

Kumaraswamy sharpened his attack by raising the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) issue, alleging that appointment letters were issued to 24 Assistant Executive Engineers (AEEs) in haste while Priyank Kharge was handling the RDPR department. 'In whose interest were they issued?' he demanded.

He claimed that the KPSC had sent complete documents to the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR) and the Chief Secretary, and that he had already provided the relevant documents to Priyank Kharge. 'This village idiot has provided all the proof, but those documents remain untouched till now. You are asking me for evidence when the documents are right under your chair,' he alleged.

Sting Operation Row and Congress Accountability

Kumaraswamy also addressed the ongoing controversy surrounding an alleged sting operation linked to former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, accusing Priyank Kharge of demanding evidence from him despite allegedly holding relevant documents within his own department. He noted that he had become Chief Minister in 2018 with Congress support but was no longer in office when the alleged sting operation took place in 2023, questioning why he was being asked to explain events that occurred under a Congress government. Notably, this sharp exchange reflects a deepening war of words between the Janata Dal (Secular) (JD(S))-allied National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Congress-led Karnataka government.

What This Means Going Forward

The escalating verbal battle between two politically prominent families — the Deve Gowdas and the Kharges — signals intensifying friction ahead of potential electoral contests in Karnataka. With both sides raising questions of accountability and governance, the dispute is likely to draw further national attention in the coming days.