Union Minister of State for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and Labour and Employment, Shobha Karandlaje, on Monday, 19 October, alleged that the Karnataka government was resorting to blackmail to retain power, and demanded an immediate Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into alleged sting operations targeting political leaders in the state. She made the remarks while speaking to reporters in Mysuru.

What Karandlaje Alleged

Karandlaje claimed that compromising material — allegedly recorded and compiled onto CDs — was being used to threaten individuals within the ruling dispensation. She alleged that such tactics were being deployed not just to manage political affairs but also to secure positions of power within the government.

'They are running the administration by blackmailing people within their own party and government. There is information that former Chief Minister and Congress Working Committee (CWC) member Siddaramaiah was forced to step down from the Chief Minister's post using these sting operations,' she alleged.

The Union Minister described the alleged practice as a 'black mark' on Karnataka and said the controversy had drawn attention from other states. 'This will not bring honour to anyone. Such practices must come to an end,' she said.

SIT Probe Demanded

Karandlaje called on the state government to immediately order an SIT investigation and ensure stringent punishment for those found responsible. Addressing Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar directly, she said: 'I am requesting the Chief Minister in this regard. People are pointing fingers at you.'

Her remarks come amid a widening political controversy over alleged sting operations and claims that compromising material has been used to influence power dynamics within the ruling Indian National Congress (Congress) government in the state.

Opposition Parties Unite on the Issue

The demand for action is not limited to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). On Saturday, Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy led a padyatra with hundreds of Janata Dal (Secular) (JD(S)) workers to the office of Director General and Inspector General of Police M.A. Saleem in Bengaluru, demanding swift action and arrests in connection with the sting operation controversy.

BJP Karnataka President and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra also urged Chief Minister Shivakumar and Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara to take the case seriously, conduct a comprehensive investigation, and 'take it to its logical conclusion.'

Police Action So Far

Karnataka Police, investigating the sting operation controversy and the uploading of a video allegedly related to former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, have written to YouTube seeking technical details — including the IP address from which the video was uploaded and the identity of the person who uploaded it, according to officials. The development signals that investigators are attempting to trace the origin of the controversy digitally.

Broader Context

Notably, earlier on Monday, Karandlaje also participated in a programme at the Mysuru Palace premises, where she arranged breakfast for the families of mahouts and kavadis accompanying the Dasara elephants. This comes amid an already politically charged atmosphere in the state, with the sting operation row adding a fresh layer of pressure on the Congress government at a time when its internal cohesion is under scrutiny. The calls for an SIT probe from multiple opposition parties suggest the issue is unlikely to fade quickly.