Anurag Thakur targets Congress over viral audio clip on Karnataka Cabinet 'offerings'
Synopsis
A viral audio clip allegedly featuring two Karnataka Congress leaders claiming that 80% of Cabinet ministers paid 'offerings' to the party high command for their posts has handed the BJP a sharp political weapon. Anurag Thakur's frontal attack — naming Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, and newly inducted minister B. Nagendra — signals that the Karnataka government's portfolio allocation process is set to become a sustained opposition flashpoint.
Key Takeaways
BJP MP Anurag Thakur on Friday cited a viral audio clip to allege that Congress leaders paid 'offerings' to secure Karnataka Cabinet berths.
The clip allegedly features former Minister R B Thimmapur and former MLA S G Nanjayyanamath discussing the arrangement.
Thakur claimed the audio suggests 80% of Karnataka ministers paid for their positions through the Congress high command.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi were specifically called upon to respond.
The BJP MP questioned why Cabinet Minister B.
Nagendra , facing an ongoing ED case in the Valmiki scheme , was inducted into the new Karnataka Cabinet.
Congress had not issued a formal response to the allegations as of the time of reporting.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Lok Sabha MP Anurag Thakur on Friday launched a sharp attack on the Congress party over a viral audio clip that allegedly captured two Karnataka leaders discussing the payment of 'offerings' in exchange for Cabinet berths ahead of the state's portfolio allocation. The clip, which Thakur cited at length before reporters in New Delhi, has intensified scrutiny of the Karnataka Congress government's ministerial selection process.
What the Viral Audio Clip Allegedly Contains
The audio recording allegedly features former Minister R B Thimmapur and former MLA S G Nanjayyanamath. Thakur quoted the clip to allege that 80 per cent of ministers in the Congress-governed state had secured their positions by paying the party's high command. 'In Congress, a person's stature and position are decided on the basis of the offerings made to the party's high command... This is revealed in a conversation among Congress leaders from the audio tape that came out... Serious allegations have been levelled in that tape — that 80 per cent of Ministers are those who pay for their seats through offerings, and offerings were given to the Congress high command,' Thakur said.
BJP Demands Response from Kharge and Gandhi
Thakur specifically called on Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi to respond to the allegations, noting that the controversy had emerged in Karnataka — Kharge's home state. 'Such serious allegations of corruption have come to light in the own state of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge i.e. Karnataka,' he said. He also questioned whether senior leader H K Patil's exclusion from the Karnataka Cabinet was connected to the alleged 'offerings' system.
Nagendra Appointment Under the Scanner
The BJP MP trained particular focus on newly sworn-in Karnataka Cabinet Minister B. Nagendra, who is reportedly facing an ongoing Enforcement Directorate (ED) case in connection with the Valmiki Corporation scheme, which allegedly involved funds meant for the welfare of the Dalit community. Thakur questioned why someone accused in the case was included in the new Cabinet, alleging the appointment may itself have been linked to 'offerings'. 'Was the money embezzled from the Valmiki scheme offered here as a tribute?' he asked, without providing documentary evidence beyond the audio clip.
Congress Yet to Formally Respond
The Congress party had not issued a formal response to Thakur's specific allegations as of the time of reporting. The BJP's attack comes amid broader political tensions over the Karnataka government's Cabinet expansion, with several legislators from the ruling party reportedly lobbying for ministerial positions. Notably, this is not the first time the Congress-led Karnataka government has faced internal friction over portfolio allocation since assuming power.
The controversy is likely to deepen ahead of the next round of political accountability hearings, with opposition parties expected to press the issue in the state legislature.
Point of View
If substantiated, point to a structural problem the Congress cannot easily dismiss. The Valmiki scheme controversy around B. Nagendra was already a live issue before the Cabinet expansion; inducting him anyway hands the BJP a ready-made narrative. More damaging than the clip itself is the silence from Kharge, whose home-state credibility is directly on the line. The Congress faces a familiar bind: deny the audio's authenticity and risk a forensic challenge, or engage with its contents and validate the BJP's framing. Neither option is clean.
NationPress
7 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the viral audio clip about Karnataka Congress allege?
The audio clip allegedly features former Minister R B Thimmapur and former MLA S G Nanjayyanamath discussing a system where Cabinet berths in the Karnataka Congress government were secured in exchange for 'offerings' paid to the party's high command. BJP MP Anurag Thakur cited the clip to claim that 80% of Karnataka ministers allegedly paid for their positions.
Who is B. Nagendra and why is he at the centre of the controversy?
B. Nagendra is a newly sworn-in Karnataka Cabinet Minister who is reportedly facing an ongoing Enforcement Directorate (ED) case linked to alleged irregularities in the Valmiki Corporation scheme, which was meant to benefit the Dalit community. Anurag Thakur questioned why someone accused in that case was given a Cabinet position, alleging the appointment may be connected to the 'offerings' system described in the viral clip.
Why did Anurag Thakur specifically target Mallikarjun Kharge?
Thakur targeted Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge because Karnataka is Kharge's home state, making the allegations politically more pointed. He demanded that Kharge and Rahul Gandhi publicly respond to the corruption claims surfaced by the audio clip.
Has Congress responded to Anurag Thakur's allegations?
The Congress party had not issued a formal response to Thakur's specific allegations as of the time of reporting. The party's silence on the viral audio clip has drawn further attention from opposition leaders.
What is the Valmiki scheme controversy referenced in Thakur's attack?
The Valmiki Corporation scheme was a welfare initiative intended for the Dalit community in Karnataka. Allegations of financial irregularities in the scheme led to an ED case, reportedly implicating Cabinet Minister B. Nagendra. Thakur questioned whether funds allegedly misappropriated from this scheme were used as 'offerings' to secure a Cabinet position.
