Senior BJP leader R. Ashoka told reporters in Bengaluru on Wednesday that the alleged sting operation targeting former chief minister Siddaramaiah has laid bare factional rifts inside the Congress party and may have contributed to its loss in the recent Legislative Council elections.
Ashoka highlighted that K.N. Rajanna, a senior Congress MLA, himself warned that the controversy could harm the party’s prospects in the upcoming 2028 Assembly polls. He suggested that the sting was orchestrated by disgruntled Congress insiders and that even supporters of Siddaramaiah have begun to drift away.
Pointing a finger at chief minister D.K. Shivakumar, the opposition leader blamed the ruling government for internal infighting and a series of policy decisions that, according to him, alienated farmers, pensioners, senior citizens and persons with disabilities. He added that cuts to departmental funds, rising milk prices and higher bus fares have added to public hardship.
The BJP chief asserted that voters are increasingly aware of what he described as harmful governance and warned that Congress will soon pay for its perceived mismanagement. He also claimed that the public will “carry out an operation” against the government at the ballot box.
In the four‑seat Legislative Council contest held last week, the NDA swept all seats, with the BJP securing three and the JD(S) one, leaving Congress without representation. Following the defeat, a heated exchange erupted within the party between supporters of Siddaramaiah and those backing Shivakumar. Rajanna, a close associate of Siddaramaiah, said the sting controversy tarnished the party’s image and likely contributed to the poor showing. Municipal Administration Minister H.C. Balakrishna, a Shivakumar ally, accused Rajanna and his son of anti‑party activities and called for disciplinary action.
Image: Wikipedia — Siddaramaiah
📰 Source: Mangalorean News