Karnataka Minister Sudhakar on ventilator; family rebukes Kumaraswamy's political remarks
Synopsis
Karnataka Minister D. Sudhakar lies in a coma on a ventilator, battling a severe lung infection with a possible lung transplant on the table — and yet the political battle around his bedside has already begun. His son Suhan publicly rebuked Union Minister Kumaraswamy for alleging a government cover-up, calling the remarks hurtful and politically motivated.
Key Takeaways
Karnataka Minister D.
Sudhakar is on a ventilator at KIMS Hospital, Bengaluru , following a severe lung infection as of 28 April .
Doctors say a lung transplant may be considered if his lungs do not show significant improvement; he is currently stable on life support.
Kumaraswamy alleged on Sunday that the state government was concealing Sudhakar's health updates, sparking a political row.
Sudhakar's son Suhan Sudhakar released a video on Tuesday strongly condemning Kumaraswamy's remarks, calling them politically motivated and hurtful to the family.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah , Deputy Chief Minister D.K.
Shivakumar , and Home Minister G.
Parameshwara have all visited Sudhakar at the hospital.
Karnataka Minister for Planning and Statistics D. Sudhakar remains on a ventilator at the Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) Hospital in Electronics City, Bengaluru, following a severe lung infection, as of 28 April. His family has publicly criticised Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy for making what they called political statements about Sudhakar's critical condition, urging that his illness not be weaponised for political rivalry.
Sudhakar's Medical Condition
Minister D. Sudhakar, a close associate of Deputy Chief Minister and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President D.K. Shivakumar, is currently in a coma and on life support following a severe lung infection. Doctors attending to him have indicated that if his lungs do not show significant improvement, he may be considered for a lung transplant. Physicians added that he is presently stable on life support, though his brain has not regained consciousness. The minister had reportedly undergone surgery for knee pain prior to the lung infection developing.
Kumaraswamy's Allegations and Family's Response
Union Minister for Steel and Heavy Industries H.D. Kumaraswamy on Sunday alleged, while speaking to reporters in Chitradurga, that the Karnataka state government was concealing updates about Sudhakar's health. Kumaraswamy questioned whether the health situation was being deliberately hidden to secure a
Point of View
The allegations are impossible to immediately rebut or verify. What is notable is that the family's pushback came not through party channels but via a personal video from Sudhakar's son — suggesting the political noise has cut through to the family level. The broader pattern of using a rival's medical emergency as a political opportunity reflects a deepening of Karnataka's adversarial politics, and the Congress leadership's visible hospital visits appear as much about optics as concern.
NationPress
1 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the current health condition of Karnataka Minister D. Sudhakar?
Minister D. Sudhakar is in a coma and on a ventilator at KIMS Hospital in Electronics City, Bengaluru, following a severe lung infection. Doctors say he is stable on life support but his brain has not regained consciousness, and a lung transplant may be considered if his condition does not improve.
What did Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy say about Sudhakar?
Kumaraswamy alleged in Chitradurga on Sunday that the Karnataka state government was concealing updates about Sudhakar's health condition. He suggested the situation might be exploited to secure a 'thumb impression' on certain crucial papers, implying possible misuse of the minister's incapacitation.
How did Sudhakar's family respond to Kumaraswamy's remarks?
Sudhakar's son Suhan Sudhakar released a video on Tuesday strongly condemning Kumaraswamy's remarks, calling them politically motivated and hurtful to the family. He said his father is responding to treatment and recovering, and urged that his illness not be used for political rivalry.
Which senior leaders have visited Minister Sudhakar in hospital?
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah visited KIMS Hospital on Saturday to check on Sudhakar. Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and Home Minister G. Parameshwara also visited subsequently. Siddaramaiah confirmed that Sudhakar had not regained consciousness and that doctors would decide the further course of action.
Is a lung transplant being considered for Minister Sudhakar?
Doctors attending to Sudhakar have said a lung transplant may be considered if his lungs do not show significant improvement. However, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah noted that Sudhakar must first regain consciousness before a transplant can be performed.
