Amid sting video row, why Shivakumar, Siddaramaiah rift returns to haunt Congress

Four months after D K Shivakumar replaced Siddaramaiah as Karnataka's Chief Minister, the Congress party is grappling with a controversy over a purported sting operation against the ex-CM. Both Siddaramaiah and his son Yathindra, a minister in Shivakumar's cabinet, have vehemently denied the "fake sting video" circulating online.

They accused Power TV MD Rakesh Shetty, a close ally of Shivakumar, of involvement in the filming, which emerged last month on social media and local TV channels. Shetty has been granted interim bail, while Yathindra alleged some Congress insiders were involved, citing a woman worker who sought the party ticket to contest from Puttur in the 2023 Assembly polls.

The BJP and its ally JD(S) have exploited the controversy to fuel discontent within the Congress, recalling Shivakumar's past link to a sex sting operation that led to the downfall of BJP minister Ramesh Jarkiholi. Kumaraswamy, a JD(S) leader, accused Shivakumar of being the "king of stings" in Karnataka, warning his cabinet colleagues about possible sting operations to discredit the Congress government. Shivakumar, in turn, claimed he too was targeted by a businessman who wore Meta glasses for a meeting with him.

Kumaraswamy is using the sting issue to widen rifts between Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah, urging the latter to speak out against the allegations and prevent character assassination through rumors. Siddaramaiah, however, remains confident in the investigation process, pleading for the truth to emerge and asking for a fair probe.