Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Thursday, 1 October 2026, accused the Congress government in Karnataka of engineering a controversy over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls to divert public attention from allegations he had levelled against Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and his family members in connection with the NICE project. Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Kumaraswamy described the Congress-led agitation as a calculated distraction timed to blunt the impact of his document-backed press conference held three days earlier.

The NICE Allegations at the Core

Kumaraswamy said he had held a detailed press conference and presented documents alleging that Shivakumar and his family members had colluded with the NICE company to appropriate land belonging to the project. He claimed the disclosures had triggered considerable political and public debate — and that the state government moved swiftly to shift the narrative toward the SIR issue in response.

Citing remarks he attributed to the NICE project promoter, Kumaraswamy said the government had been told it would need to surrender Vidhana Soudha and Vikasa Soudha, or pay ₹2 lakh crore, to acquire the project. 'The guarantee schemes have emptied the state treasury. Where does the government have the money to pay him?' he asked, alleging that despite this, Shivakumar continued to protect the project promoter.

Congress Protest Targeted as 'Drama'

Kumaraswamy criticised Shivakumar and other Cabinet members for staging a street protest — reportedly outside the Chief Electoral Officer's office — while a scheduled Cabinet meeting was left unattended. He called the protest 'ridiculous' and questioned why police had permitted the Chief Minister to demonstrate when, according to him, law enforcement had cited court orders to block other political leaders from similar demonstrations.

'Does this not amount to a violation of judicial orders?' he asked. He further alleged that Shivakumar was acting on directions from the Congress central leadership in Delhi rather than taking independent decisions, accusing the Chief Minister of lacking political autonomy.

SIR Irregularities: Counter-Allegations

Turning the tables on the Congress, Kumaraswamy alleged that party leaders had gathered people in large numbers at marriage halls, community halls, and private residences to carry out voter-list revisions when the SIR process was initiated. He described the Congress now raising the spectre of vote theft as akin to 'the devil reciting the Bhagavad Gita.'

He said his party had lodged complaints with the Election Commission of India (ECI), and that National Democratic Alliance (NDA) leaders had subsequently filed complaints as well. 'Despite our complaints, no cases were registered against anyone. The Congress, which indulged in irregularities, is now repeatedly accusing others of irregularities,' he alleged. He also questioned why the Congress government had remained silent when his party raised objections and had not initially flagged any shortcomings in the SIR process, asking: 'Why have you suddenly woken up now?'

AHINDA Charge Adds Another Layer

Kumaraswamy additionally accused Shivakumar of claiming that the number of AHINDA voters — an umbrella term in Karnataka referring to minorities, backward classes, and Dalits — had declined in the electoral rolls, while allegedly sidelining AHINDA ministers within his own Cabinet. The charge adds a social-equity dimension to what is already a multi-front political confrontation.

What Happens Next

The escalating war of words between the Janata Dal (Secular)-led NDA bloc and the Congress government in Karnataka is likely to intensify as both the SIR process and the NICE project allegations remain unresolved. Whether the Election Commission acts on the complaints lodged by NDA leaders — and whether the NICE land-acquisition charges prompt a formal investigation — will determine whether these exchanges remain political theatre or translate into institutional scrutiny.