Bengaluru, February 22: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah today launched a blistering counter-attack against his political opponents, alleging a “cunning conspiracy” to end his career because of his social background and identity as a leader of the backward classes. His remarks come as the state’s political temperature reached a boiling point following a major bribery scandal involving a BJP MLA and mounting speculation over a leadership tussle within the ruling Congress party.
Siddaramaiah’s primary offensive today was directed at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) following the arrest of Shirahatti MLA Chandru Lamani. The Lokayukta caught the MLA and his assistants red-handed while allegedly accepting a bribe of ₹5 lakh from a contractor. “It is a matter of shame,” Siddaramaiah posted on X. “The BJP folks used to easily level bribery accusations against others. Now, their own MLA is entangled. Let the investigation proceed; we will not obstruct the truth.” Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar joined the fray with a sarcastic jibe, quipping to reporters, “Aren’t BJP politicians the most honest in the country? Someone must have given the Lokayukta false information.”
Beyond the bribery row, Siddaramaiah addressed the persistent rumors of a leadership change within the Congress. In a deeply personal statement, he suggested that the “privileged classes” are uncomfortable with his rise from a shepherd community to the Chief Minister’s office. He described his 40-year political journey as a path of “stones and thorns,” claiming opponents are “jealous” of his record of presenting 17 state budgets and are targeting him specifically because of his Kuruba (OBC) identity. “I will never be a coward who runs away from the battlefield,” he declared, invoking the names of social reformers like Ambedkar and Basavanna.
Away from the political crossfire, the Chief Minister also made significant policy comments while addressing university Vice-Chancellors today. The government is considering a ban on mobile phones for students under 16 to combat social media addiction and drug abuse. Furthermore, Siddaramaiah expressed a desire to bring back conditional student union elections, stating that the absence of campus politics is preventing the rise of new, able leaders in India.
The BJP and JD(S) have dismissed the CM’s remarks as a “caste card” played to deflect from internal party friction. Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy called social justice a “desperate excuse” to cling to power, while state BJP leaders challenged Siddaramaiah to name the individuals he claims are conspiring against him. With the Lokayukta investigation into the bribery case gaining steam and the CM doubling down on his “social justice” narrative, the upcoming Assembly sessions are expected to be remarkably stormy.
