Former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah arrived in New Delhi on Monday, holding discussions with AICC General Secretary K.C. Venugopal, with a subsequent meeting with senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi anticipated. His visit centers on providing a detailed briefing to the party's top brass regarding the contentious alleged sting operation that has recently engulfed him.
During his engagements, Siddaramaiah intends to apprise the leadership of the latest developments in the case, including the possibility of certain party insiders' involvement in the alleged operation. He has already consulted extensively with his close associates on the matter. Earlier, the former Chief Minister had expressed dissatisfaction with the investigation into his complaint regarding the sting operation, which he described as inappropriate.
A delegation of prominent Karnataka Congress leaders accompanied Siddaramaiah for his meeting with Venugopal. Those present included Urban Development Minister Yathindra Siddaramaiah, Chief Minister's Political Secretary A.S. Ponnanna, former ministers Venkatesh, Legislative Council members Nagaraj Yadav, Dr Thimmaiah and Shivakumar, former member Ramesh Babu, and Vice-Chairman of the State Guarantee Schemes Implementation Authority Mehroze Khan.
The alleged sting operation has ignited significant political controversy across Karnataka. Siddaramaiah has consistently characterized it as a systematic blackmail conspiracy, directly naming a journalist and Krupa Alva of Mangaluru as individuals he believes are behind the plot. These statements have intensified the controversy, pushing it into the national political discourse amidst escalating allegations of potential Congress member involvement.
Emphasizing his long political career, including eight years as Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah asserted that he has never faced such allegations. He accused unnamed parties of employing blackmail as a political tactic, vehemently denying any wrongdoing. The former CM maintains that the video, purportedly featuring claims of sexual abuse from a 2011 incident and circulated on social media, is entirely baseless and part of a malicious campaign to tarnish his image. He personally lodged a formal complaint with the Bengaluru City Police Commissioner, demanding a fair and impartial investigation to uncover the true culprits. Furthermore, he moved the Bengaluru City Civil and Sessions Court to secure an interim injunction preventing newspapers, television channels, and social media platforms from publishing or broadcasting the unverified video.
Image: Wikipedia — Siddaramaiah
📰 Source: Mangalorean News