Former Karnataka Chief Minister and Congress Working Committee (CWC) member Siddaramaiah on Monday, 19 October 2026, declined to address reporters about the ongoing sting operation controversy in the state, saying he would not speak to the media on recent political developments. He made the statement in Kolar when journalists pressed him for a response.

Why Siddaramaiah's Silence Matters

The refusal to comment carries weight given that Siddaramaiah has already moved the courts and filed a police complaint over the circulation of allegedly defamatory content targeting him across media and social media platforms. His legal recourse signals that he is channelling the dispute through formal channels rather than the press. The controversy has sharpened into a direct confrontation between Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and the state's Congress government, with Kumaraswamy publicly pointing fingers at Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar over the video linked to Siddaramaiah.

Kumaraswamy vs Congress: The 2028 Threat

The sting row has spilled into a broader war of words over the 2028 Karnataka Assembly elections. Kumaraswamy, while targeting the Congress dispensation, claimed that those in power had misused authority over the past seven to eight years and were allegedly trying to 'finish off' his family. He declared confidence in a coalition government returning to power in 2028. 'I have faith that a coalition government will certainly come to power in 2028, and I will show my other face,' Kumaraswamy stated.

Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara pushed back pointedly on Monday. 'Let us wait and see. We do not know who will come to power in 2028. Even Kumaraswamy cannot say that, but the people will be able to tell. Let Kumaraswamy resign from his post at the Centre tomorrow and engage in state politics,' Parameshwara told reporters. He added that nobody could stop anyone from engaging in politics.

Congress MLA Turns the Pen-Drive Question Back on Kumaraswamy

Congress MLA Shivaganga Basavaraj responded to allegations that Chief Minister Shivakumar was the 'father of sting operations' in Karnataka by redirecting scrutiny toward Kumaraswamy. Basavaraj recalled that it was Kumaraswamy who had publicly displayed a pen drive during a media interaction, claiming it would be released 'soon'. 'Who displayed the pen drive and claimed that it would be released soon? Was it Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar or former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah? Kumaraswamy himself displayed the pen drive. Whose videos eventually came out, and whose family's videos were circulated?' he asked. His remarks were widely read as an indirect reference to the case involving former Janata Dal (Secular) MP Prajwal Revanna.

Basavaraj also noted that Shivakumar — whom he described as his political guru — had earlier advised party members to exercise caution in such matters, a counsel that was also part of a five-day training programme for first-time legislators organised by the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC).

BJP's Patil Breaks Ranks, Backs Siddaramaiah

In a notable development, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Shivaraj Patil broke from his party's posture to publicly defend Siddaramaiah in Raichur. Patil credited Siddaramaiah with bringing welfare guarantees to the people and with steering the Congress to power in Karnataka. 'If this person is being pushed into such a situation, it is unfortunate. I am really moved to tears. Siddaramaiah is one of the tallest leaders of the state. During his period, women got their money,' Patil said. The cross-party support adds an unusual dimension to an already volatile political standoff.

With legal proceedings underway, competing claims about the sting's origins unresolved, and the 2028 election already being invoked as a battleground, the controversy shows little sign of dying down in the near term.