Priyank Kharge alleges KPSC probe used as cover to target Congress, hits at Kumaraswamy
Synopsis
Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge has accused a Union Minister — widely understood to be H.D. Kumaraswamy — of pressuring the Modi government to weaponise the ED and IT against Congress leaders using the KPSC recruitment probe as cover. With Bengaluru Police now linking Kumaraswamy's Delhi home to the sting operation case, the political confrontation between ruling Congress and the BJP-JD(S) alliance has reached a new peak.
Key Takeaways
Priyank Kharge on 2 November 2026 alleged a Union Minister was pressuring the Centre to use the ED and IT department against Congress leaders, using the KPSC probe as political cover.
Without naming anyone, Kharge's remarks were widely read as targeting Union Minister H.D.
Kharge also alleged an RSS -linked individual was attempting to pressure KPSC accused into falsely implicating Congress leaders.
Kumaraswamy had accused Kharge of complicity in a recruitment scam involving Assistant Executive Engineers (AEE) during his tenure as RDPR Minister ; Kharge denied this.
Bengaluru Police Commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh stated investigators found evidence of a mobile phone exchange at Kumaraswamy's Delhi residence in the sting operation case.
Kumaraswamy announced he would make several revelations on Monday , with the political confrontation expected to intensify.
Karnataka Minister for Home and IT/BT Priyank Kharge on Monday, 2 November 2026, alleged that a Union Minister was pressuring the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led central government to deploy central investigative agencies — including the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Income Tax department — against him and his Cabinet colleagues, using the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) recruitment investigation as political cover.
Kharge's Allegations Against the Unnamed Union Minister
Without naming anyone directly, Kharge's remarks were widely seen as an indirect reference to Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy. 'Whispers in Delhi's corridors of power are that a Union Minister is desperately pressuring Modi Sarkar to weaponise the IT and ED against my Cabinet colleagues and me, using the KPSC investigation as political cover,' Kharge said.
He went further, alleging that an individual associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) was reportedly attempting to use the ED to pressure accused persons in the KPSC recruitment case into falsely implicating Congress leaders. 'The RSS's newest Group D recruit is also reportedly attempting to use the ED to pressure all accused to falsely implicate Congress leaders and me in the KPSC recruitment case,' Kharge alleged.
In a pointed parting shot, Kharge said the unnamed 'extremely hard-working' minister was allegedly trying to drag coalition partners into the controversy rather than face it alone. 'It appears the 'extremely hard working' Hon'ble Minister is not prepared to go down alone. In his desperation, he seems determined to drag his own coalition partners down with him,' he said.
The KPSC Recruitment Row and Counter-Allegations
The allegations arrive amid a politically charged standoff over the KPSC recruitment investigation. Union Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy had previously alleged that Priyank Kharge was complicit in a recruitment scam involving Assistant Executive Engineers (AEE) under the Rural Drinking Water Supply Scheme during Kharge's tenure as Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR) Minister in the Siddaramaiah government.
Kharge categorically rejected the claims, asserting that the KPSC — not the RDPR department — holds custody of OMR sheets and manages the examination process. The dispute over institutional jurisdiction has become a central flashpoint in the political war of words between the two sides.
Sting Operation Case: Bengaluru Police Link Kumaraswamy's Delhi Home
Commissioner of Police, Bengaluru City, Seemanth Kumar Singh, stated on Sunday that investigators had found evidence suggesting a mobile phone was exchanged at H.D. Kumaraswamy's residence in Delhi in connection with the alleged sting operation case — a case linked to former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
Kumaraswamy responded with a sharp attack on the Commissioner and the Karnataka government, asserting that 'nobody could touch him' and announcing that he would make several revelations on Monday. The escalation marks one of the sharpest moments in the ongoing political confrontation between the ruling Indian National Congress (INC) in Karnataka and its opponents at the Centre and in the state.
Political Context and What's Next
This comes amid a broader pattern of Centre-state tension in Karnataka, where the Congress government has repeatedly accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-JD(S) alliance of using central agencies to destabilise the elected state administration. The KPSC recruitment case, the sting operation row, and the mobile phone exchange allegation have now coalesced into a single, explosive political controversy.
With Kumaraswamy's promised revelations yet to fully play out, and investigators continuing their probe, the confrontation is unlikely to ease in the near term.
Point of View
The original wrongdoing — if any — gets buried under noise. Kharge's unnamed-but-obvious targeting of Kumaraswamy, and Kumaraswamy's counter-allegations about the AEE scam, suggest both sides are using probe processes as leverage rather than allowing them to reach neutral conclusions. The Bengaluru Police Commissioner's disclosure about the Delhi mobile phone exchange is the most concrete investigative detail to emerge so far — and the pushback it generated from Kumaraswamy raises questions about institutional pressure on law enforcement. What mainstream coverage misses is that this isn't just Congress versus JD(S); it is a stress test of whether Karnataka's state police can operate independently when their findings touch federally powerful figures.
NationPress
2 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Priyank Kharge allege about the KPSC investigation?
Priyank Kharge alleged on 2 November 2026 that a Union Minister was pressuring the Modi government to deploy the ED and IT department against him and his Congress Cabinet colleagues, using the KPSC recruitment investigation as political cover. He also alleged that an RSS-linked individual was trying to pressure KPSC accused into falsely implicating Congress leaders.
Who is Priyank Kharge referring to in his allegations?
Kharge did not name anyone directly, but his remarks were widely interpreted as targeting Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy. He referenced an 'extremely hard-working' minister attempting to drag coalition partners into the controversy.
What is the KPSC recruitment scam about?
The Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) recruitment scam involves alleged irregularities in the selection process for various government posts, including Assistant Executive Engineers under the Rural Drinking Water Supply Scheme. Kumaraswamy has alleged Kharge's involvement from his time as RDPR Minister, which Kharge denies.
What did Bengaluru Police say about H.D. Kumaraswamy's Delhi residence?
Bengaluru City Police Commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh stated on Sunday that investigators found evidence of a mobile phone being exchanged at Kumaraswamy's Delhi residence in connection with the alleged sting operation case linked to former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Kumaraswamy rejected the claim and announced he would make revelations on Monday.
What is the sting operation case in Karnataka?
The sting operation case in Karnataka involves allegations connected to former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and has become a flashpoint between the ruling Congress government and the BJP-JD(S) opposition alliance. The case has overlapped with the KPSC recruitment investigation, fuelling a series of mutual allegations between state ministers and central government figures.
