Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar's remark on the floor of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly — that several MLAs who relocated to Bengaluru from other parts of the state had married twice — has triggered a political row, with Opposition Leader R. Ashoka and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA S. Suresh Kumar demanding that he name the legislators in question. The controversy erupted on Thursday, 25 September 2026, during a broader Assembly debate on Bengaluru's population growth.

What Shivakumar Said

While speaking about Bengaluru's expanding population, Shivakumar observed that people who come to the city for political or professional reasons tend to settle there permanently rather than return to their home districts. In that context, he claimed that a number of MLAs who had migrated to Bengaluru had also married twice.

'I have the history of those who came to Bengaluru. Several have married twice. There are about a dozen of them. If required, I can give the list. I can also tell the history of legislators from Dharwad, Karwar and Mangaluru,' Shivakumar was quoted as saying. He did not, however, name any of the legislators at that point. According to reports, he subsequently indicated that personal matters were not appropriate for Assembly discussion and could be taken up separately.

Opposition Leader Ashoka's Reaction

Reacting to the remark on Friday, Opposition Leader R. Ashoka said the comment was unnecessary and ill-timed. 'In the drought problem discussion, Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar saying MLAs having two marriages was unnecessary. It is not known whom he targeted. It has become like a hanging sword over everyone. He himself should answer this,' Ashoka said.

Ashoka's pushback signals that the remark — made during what was ostensibly a discussion on drought relief — has unsettled legislators across party lines, since no names were provided and the allegation effectively casts a shadow on all legislators from the cited districts.

BJP MLA Suresh Kumar's Criticism

BJP MLA S. Suresh Kumar took to his official Facebook account to criticise the Chief Minister, arguing that such a statement from the Assembly platform was unbecoming of the House's dignity. 'The Chief Minister's answer may have been made lightly, but speaking in this manner from the Assembly platform does not bring dignity to anyone,' he said.

Suresh Kumar noted he had not been present in the House at the time, having left early to visit a hospitalised friend, and said he would have responded immediately had he been there. He stressed that the dignity of the Legislative Assembly and its proceedings must be maintained at all times.

He further pressed Shivakumar to make the names public. 'The Chief Minister has already made such a statement and it has now created public curiosity. I do not know whether he will bring out a white paper on the state's financial situation, but I request him to kindly disclose the names of legislators who have married twice or more and maintained two households,' Suresh Kumar said. He warned that without disclosure, all legislators risked being viewed with suspicion by the public.

Context: A Population Debate That Shifted Ground

The remark arose during a wider discussion on Bengaluru's rapid population growth, a subject of ongoing concern in the state capital over civic infrastructure, water supply, and traffic congestion. Shivakumar's observation about legislators settling permanently in Bengaluru was part of a broader point about migration patterns — but the two-marriages reference quickly overtook the substantive policy discussion.

Notably, the Chief Minister's reference to legislators from specific districts — Dharwad, Karwar, and Mangaluru — has widened the circle of those who might feel implicated, even as no individual has been named. The Assembly session now faces calls to either table the list Shivakumar claimed to hold or retract the remark formally.

What Happens Next

With the BJP formally on record demanding disclosure and the Opposition Leader calling it an unresolved 'hanging sword', pressure is mounting on Shivakumar to clarify or walk back his comments. Whether the Chief Minister produces the list he alluded to — or opts for a quiet retreat — will shape the political temperature in the Assembly's remaining session days.