Karnataka Water Resources Minister N. Cheluvarayaswamy on Wednesday, 14 October launched a sharp attack on Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy over the ongoing sting operation controversy, dismissing allegations linking Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar to the operation and daring Kumaraswamy to pursue a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe through the Union government. The minister's remarks sharpen an already heated political standoff between the ruling Congress in Karnataka and the Janata Dal (Secular) [JD(S)]-BJP alliance at the Centre.

The Allegation Cheluvarayaswamy Was Firing Back At

Kumaraswamy had alleged that Chief Minister Shivakumar was behind an alleged sting operation targeting Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Cheluvarayaswamy flatly rejected this, questioning the logic of Shivakumar orchestrating a sting against a senior leader of his own party. 'Has Shivakumar gone mad to arrange a sting operation against a senior leader of his own party?' he said, adding that 'a testing machine should be used to find out whether Kumaraswamy has been sleeping since the day Shivakumar became Chief Minister.'

Cheluvarayaswamy went further, saying the public was 'disgusted' with Kumaraswamy's conduct and accusing him of neglecting his Union Cabinet duties in favour of political point-scoring in Karnataka.

The CBI Challenge

In a pointed counterattack, Cheluvarayaswamy challenged Kumaraswamy to use his position in the Union government to order a CBI inquiry if he genuinely believed wrongdoing had occurred. 'Isn't the government at the Centre more powerful than ours? If he has the courage, let him get the sting operation investigated by the Central government,' the minister said. He made clear the state government would act if credible evidence of wrongdoing emerged, but framed the onus as squarely on the Union Minister to back up his claims.

Personal Reproach and the Prajwal Revanna Angle

Cheluvarayaswamy's remarks carried a personal edge, noting that he and Kumaraswamy had shared the political stage for years. 'There can be thousands of political differences and rivalries, but I never expected him to stoop so low. Every morning, he gets up and speaks about such indecent issues,' he said. He also accused Kumaraswamy of displaying sympathy towards former Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna — a charge that deepens the controversy's reach into the JD(S) family's political affairs.

Notably, Cheluvarayaswamy questioned why concerns about Siddaramaiah's conduct were surfacing now, when Siddaramaiah had previously served as Chief Minister without such allegations materialising. He alleged that JD(S) was deliberately attempting to sow confusion within Congress and damage Siddaramaiah's public image through what he called a 'sting operation drama.'

What Happens Next

On whether the state Cabinet would formally take up the controversy, Cheluvarayaswamy indicated that Chief Minister Shivakumar and the cabinet would collectively decide if the issue reached the next Cabinet meeting. He left open the possibility of a state-level investigation but made clear that the Congress government expected Kumaraswamy to put his money where his mouth was by using Central agencies. The sting operation controversy is now firmly embedded in the broader Congress-JD(S) rivalry ahead of Karnataka's evolving political calendar.