On Wednesday in Mysuru, BJP legislator and former minister Ramesh Jarkiholi visited former chief minister Siddaramaiah at the latter’s T.K. Layout residence to discuss matters unrelated to the ongoing sting operation controversy.
The meeting comes after Siddaramaiah secured a court injunction to stop the spread of allegedly defamatory audio and video clips that claim to expose a new sting operation targeting him. Congress leaders have suggested that the same group behind the earlier CD scandal involving Jarkiholi may be responsible for the material now aimed at Siddaramaiah.
After the private discussion, Jarkiholi told reporters that he would not comment on the sting issue. “I came to meet Siddaramaiah to discuss other matters. Regardless of party affiliation, he is our leader,” he said, adding that he would not speak about the operation.
Siddaramaiah, who declined to elaborate on the legal stay, described Jarkiholi’s visit as a simple enquiry about his health. “He came, had lunch and left,” the former chief minister said when approached by the press.
Congress MLA K.N. Rajanna, a close associate of Siddaramaiah, reiterated the claim that the individuals who produced the CD targeting Jarkiholi have also prepared the material against Siddaramaiah. Speaking in Bengaluru, Rajanna asked, “Who was behind Jarkiholi’s CD? Those who arranged his CD have obtained Siddaramaiah’s as well.” He also recalled an alleged attempt to conduct a sting operation against him during his tenure in the previous Siddaramaiah cabinet, noting the absence of CCTV cameras at the government residence.
The controversy has revived speculation about former minister H.D. Shivakumar’s possible role in the 2021 CD leak involving Jarkiholi, though no concrete evidence links him to the current episode. Rajanna’s comments arrived amid reported tensions between him and Shivakumar over party leadership ambitions for 2025.
Image for illustration purposes only
📰 Source: Mangalorean News