Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has alleged that an attempt was made to carry out a sting operation on him and Kerala Chief Minister VD Satheesan, both Congress leaders, but not on chief ministers belonging to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) or its National Democratic Alliance (NDA) allies. His remarks in an interview with Kannada broadcaster Asianet Suvarna News have added a fresh twist to the political controversy surrounding alleged sting operations in Karnataka.
“As the head of the government, which is like a family, I have to tell the Cabinet ministers to be conscious and not get fooled,” he said. Former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has described the case as false and said he had filed a complaint to bring the matter to public attention. Siddaramaiah said he had served as Chief Minister for eight years and had not witnessed such incidents in the past, but alleged that the situation had changed.
The allegations come amid an escalating political row over purported sting-operation videos linked to former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, with the Congress and opposition parties trading accusations over who was behind the recordings and their political motives. You just don’t know, that’s all. We are not disclosing it, that’s all. He added that he had cautioned his Cabinet colleagues against attempts to entrap them through their personal assistants, phone calls or other means.
“Who said action wasn’t sought? We have taken all precautionary measures,” the Karnataka Chief Minister said in the interview. The information he received suggested that the visitor had worn the same Meta glasses during a meeting with Kerala Chief Minister VD Satheesan but had not worn them while meeting Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and a Union minister, according to Shivakumar. Shivakumar also said he had received information about people who could potentially be involved in such activities.
