Congress Working Committee (CWC) member and former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday, 2 November 2026, met senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi, briefing him on the escalating controversy surrounding an alleged sting operation purportedly linked to the veteran leader. The high-level meeting signals that the controversy — which has rattled Karnataka politics — has now firmly entered the national Congress leadership's radar.

Who Was in the Room

Karnataka Urban Development Minister and Siddaramaiah's son Yathindra Siddaramaiah, along with the Chief Minister's Legal Adviser Ponnanna, were present during the meeting with Rahul Gandhi. Earlier the same day, Siddaramaiah met Congress General Secretary K.C. Venugopal, accompanied by several senior state Congress leaders. Those in the delegation included former ministers Venkatesh, Legislative Council members Nagaraj Yadav, Dr Thimmaiah, and Shivakumar, former member Ramesh Babu, and Vice-Chairman of the State Guarantee Schemes Implementation Authority Mehroze Khan.

What Siddaramaiah Told the Party Leadership

According to reports, Siddaramaiah briefed the Congress leadership on the latest developments in the case and raised the possibility that certain insiders within political circles may have been involved in orchestrating the sting operation. He had already discussed the matter with members of his close circle before travelling to Delhi.

Siddaramaiah has publicly described the alleged sting operation as a 'systematic blackmail conspiracy', naming a journalist and Krupa Alva of Mangaluru as individuals he believes were behind it. He asserted that his eight years as Chief Minister and his long political career had not previously attracted allegations of this nature, insisting he had committed no wrongdoing.

The Sting Operation: What Is Alleged

The controversy centres on a video — reportedly surfaced on social media — that purportedly features claims of sexual abuse from an incident allegedly dating to 2011. Siddaramaiah has categorically rejected the video as 'completely baseless', characterising it as part of a malicious political campaign aimed at damaging his reputation. He reportedly indicated that he had already filed a complaint in connection with the operation and expressed concern that the investigation was not being conducted appropriately.

The Central Crime Branch (CCB) of Karnataka Police is currently investigating the alleged sting operation, the circulation of the video, and the circumstances surrounding its recording. The controversy has added competing allegations about the possible involvement of Congress members, deepening the political fallout.

Legal Steps Taken

Siddaramaiah personally lodged a formal complaint with the Bengaluru City Police Commissioner, demanding a fair and impartial probe to identify the individuals behind what he called a concocted case. He also moved the Bengaluru City Civil and Sessions Court to secure an interim injunction restraining newspapers, television channels, and social media platforms from publishing or broadcasting the unverified video.

What Comes Next

With the matter now before the national Congress leadership, the party's response to the controversy — and whether it publicly backs Siddaramaiah — will be closely watched. The CCB investigation remains ongoing, and the Bengaluru court order on media restraint adds a legal dimension to what is fast becoming one of Karnataka's most charged political episodes in recent years.