Congress MLA and former Karnataka minister K.N. Rajanna on Tuesday, 13 October 2026, alleged that the same network responsible for the controversial CD targeting former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) minister Ramesh Jarkiholi in 2021 is also behind the video clip now allegedly targeting former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Rajanna's remarks came hours after Siddaramaiah, a Congress Working Committee member, approached a Bengaluru court seeking an injunction against the circulation and broadcast of allegedly defamatory audio and video clips linked to a reported sting operation.

What Rajanna Said

Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Rajanna — a close associate of Siddaramaiah — did not mince words. 'You tell us who was behind Ramesh Jarkiholi's CD? Those who got his CD done have got Siddaramaiah's as well,' he said. He further alleged the existence of a single organised network in Karnataka producing and releasing such material, even if the individuals involved change over time. 'There is only one factory in the state for making and releasing CDs and carrying out sting operations. But the partners are different,' he said.

Background: The Jarkiholi CD Controversy

The 2021 CD controversy forced Ramesh Jarkiholi to resign as a minister in the then-BJP government in Karnataka after a purported video allegedly involving him was widely circulated. That episode had also triggered political speculation over the role of Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar in commissioning or releasing the material — allegations that were never established. Rajanna's latest remarks have revived those suspicions, though he stopped short of directly naming Shivakumar or providing evidence of his involvement in the current controversy.

Sting Attempt Against Rajanna Himself

Rajanna also disclosed that a sting operation had reportedly been attempted against him during his own tenure as a minister in the previous Siddaramaiah-led cabinet. 'Such an attempt was made against me as well. They tried to carry out a sting operation against me. Since it was a government residence, I assumed that CCTV cameras would have been installed for security. However, I later came to know that no CCTV cameras had been installed,' he said. The disclosure adds a personal dimension to his characterisation of such operations as systematic political blackmail.

Calls for CM Shivakumar to Act

Rajanna trained much of his fire on Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, urging him to order a full investigation and stop what Rajanna called self-inflicted damage to the party's dignity. 'The Chief Minister has all the investigative agencies under him. He should clear the confusion among the people. With this, the state's honour has suffered a severe dent. We are losing our honour and dignity by ourselves,' he said. He went further: 'How can the CM himself talk like a helpless person? If a probe is conducted and everything is made public, this sting mafia will stop at this stage.'

Congress Internal Dynamics in the Frame

Notably, Rajanna's remarks arrive against the backdrop of well-documented intra-party tensions within the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC). As recently as 2025, Rajanna had publicly stated his readiness to assume the KPCC presidency — a post then held by Shivakumar — and had also demanded that a Dalit be appointed Chief Minister should there be a change in state leadership. He reiterated on Tuesday that the Congress high command had discussed a reported two-and-a-half-year power-sharing arrangement between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, adding that Siddaramaiah was asked to step down on that basis — 'not because of any allegations.' Rajanna described the circulating video as an old clip, not newly recorded material, and said the possibility that the sting was being used to pressure Siddaramaiah into resigning could not be ruled out, while cautioning that much of what he was relaying remained in the realm of rumour and suspicion.

With Siddaramaiah's court petition now in play and Rajanna's accusations amplifying public scrutiny, Karnataka's ruling Congress finds itself navigating both a legal contest and a political blame game that shows no sign of abating.