Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Karnataka President and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra on Saturday, 17 October demanded a thorough investigation into the sting operation controversy gripping the state, directly challenging Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara to see the case through to its 'logical conclusion.' Speaking to reporters in Chitradurga, Vijayendra said accountability cannot be selective — whoever is found guilty, regardless of their position, must face legal consequences.

Vijayendra's Direct Challenge to the CM

Vijayendra pointedly noted that it was Shivakumar himself who first raised the sting operation matter at a Cabinet meeting, effectively bringing it into the public domain. 'The Chief Minister himself raised the issue of the sting operation at a Cabinet meeting and brought it into the public domain. It is not possible to make allegations and then walk away without taking responsibility,' he said. He alleged that the identity of the 'mastermind' behind the sting operations is widely known and insisted that the investigation must not be allowed to stall.

BJP to Chart Its Own Course, Independent of JD(S)

Responding to the Janata Dal (Secular) (JD(S)) announcing a separate agitation over the same issue, Vijayendra made clear that the BJP would not coordinate its protest with the regional party. 'Let them carry out their agitation. The BJP will take its own course of action,' he said. This signals that political pressure on the ruling Indian National Congress (Congress) government in Karnataka is set to intensify from multiple opposition fronts simultaneously.

Farmers' Distress and Dasara Mismanagement

Beyond the sting operation, Vijayendra levelled a series of additional charges against the state government. He criticised the handling of the cattle fair during Mysuru Dasara, alleging that fodder was unavailable for cattle and that food arrangements for farmers were inadequate. He further alleged that despite a severe drought across the state, the government announced a compensation of only ₹2,500 per farmer and had otherwise remained inactive. He urged the government to fix an appropriate State Advised Price (SAP) for sugarcane and act on farmers' demands for an additional ₹1,000 per tonne.

Sugarcane Farmers and Weighing Irregularities

Vijayendra said he found substance in farmers' allegations that they are being cheated during the weighing of sugarcane at sugar factories and called for a separate comprehensive inquiry into those claims. He noted that Union Ministers Pralhad Joshi and Shivraj Singh Chouhan had already met farmer leaders and held discussions, and that a committee has been constituted to examine the issues. That committee is expected to hear farmer grievances after Dasara. The BJP president said the state government bears primary responsibility for resolving most of the demands raised by sugarcane farmers, while acknowledging that the Centre also has a role to play.

Political Outlook After Legislative Council Elections

Vijayendra suggested that significant political developments could unfold in Karnataka following the Legislative Council elections, hinting at a broader opposition offensive against the Shivakumar-led government. He confirmed that the BJP would extend full support to the ongoing agitation and padayatra by sugarcane farmers. This comes amid a period of sustained political turbulence in the state, with the sting operation row, drought relief failures, and farmers' grievances converging to put the Congress government under mounting pressure.