Former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has publicly accused former minister Zameer Ahmad Khan of working against him during the Davanagere South by-election, calling it a betrayal by someone he had considered a close associate. The confrontation came to light after a video of the exchange at Siddaramaiah's Bengaluru residence surfaced on Thursday, 11 June and spread rapidly across social media platforms.

The Confrontation at Siddaramaiah's Residence

The incident unfolded when a group of Zameer's supporters visited Siddaramaiah at his home and pressed him to secure a cabinet position for their leader. Siddaramaiah responded sharply, asking the supporters whether they were aware that Zameer had actively worked against him in the Davanagere South bypoll — despite being counted among his closest political allies.

In the video, the supporters are seen attempting to justify Zameer's conduct and urging Siddaramaiah to treat the episode as a mistake. Siddaramaiah, visibly agitated, walked away without relenting. The video's circulation coincided with escalating protests by Zameer's backers demanding his inclusion in the Karnataka cabinet.

Cabinet Reshuffle and Zameer's Exclusion

The fallout is unfolding against the backdrop of intense lobbying over cabinet berths in the newly formed government. Former Speaker and senior Indian National Congress (INC) leader U.T. Khader was inducted as Health Minister in the first phase of cabinet expansion. Zameer's exclusion from that round has been widely read as a political setback for the Chamarajpet MLA.

Notably, Zameer had earlier stated publicly that Siddaramaiah would serve a full five-year term as Chief Minister — a remark seen as significant given the ongoing discussions around power-sharing arrangements involving former Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, who has since been sworn in as Chief Minister.

Roots of the Dispute: The Davanagere South Bypoll

The rift traces back to the Davanagere South by-election, in which the Congress fielded Samarth Mallikarjun, grandson of veteran Congress leader the late Shamanur Shivashankarappa. According to reports, sections of the Muslim community opposed the candidature, with Zameer reportedly advocating strongly for a Muslim candidate instead.

Samarth's father, former minister S.S. Mallikarjun, publicly rebuked Zameer at the time, saying he should focus on his own constituency rather than intervene in Davanagere district's affairs. Both S.S. Mallikarjun and Samarth Mallikarjun have since maintained that Zameer's alleged anti-party activities during the campaign were an open secret within local Congress circles.

The Disputed Audio Clip

The controversy deepened after a 3-minute-51-second audio clip was circulated on social media shortly before Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar's swearing-in ceremony. The clip, shared by accounts claiming links to Karnataka politics, was alleged to relate to the Davanagere South bypoll.

The purported recording allegedly features a conversation between Zameer Ahmad Khan and a Congress leader from Davanagere identified as Siraj. In the clip, a voice allegedly discusses voting patterns and advises supporters not to mobilise Muslim voters for the Congress party's official candidate, reportedly suggesting support instead for an Independent candidate and the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI).

Zameer dismissed the recording as fabricated, describing it as a political conspiracy and claiming the clip was generated using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to damage his reputation. The Mallikarjun family has demanded a forensic examination of the audio to establish its authenticity.

What Comes Next

With cabinet expansion still in progress and Zameer's supporters continuing to press for his inclusion, the dispute threatens to deepen factional tensions within the Karnataka Congress. The outcome of any forensic probe into the audio clip, if pursued, could prove decisive in determining the political cost Zameer ultimately bears.