K'taka sting Op row: Will not speak to media, says Siddaramaiah

Bengaluru, October 19 (IANS): Former Karnataka Chief Minister and Congress Working Committee (CWC) member Siddaramaiah said on Monday that he would not speak to the media about recent political developments in the state. He made the statement in Kolar when reporters questioned him about the sting operation controversy.Siddaramaiah's remark assumes significance as he has approached the court and filed a police complaint over the circulation of allegedly defamatory content about him in the media and social media platforms. The issue has triggered a political controversy in the state, bringing Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and the Congress government into a confrontation.Kumaraswamy has pointed fingers at Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar over the video involving Siddaramaiah. Against this backdrop, Siddaramaiah's decision to refrain from commenting on the issue has triggered speculation over the developments.Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara on Monday responded to Union Minister Kumaraswamy's warning that he would show his "other face" in the 2028 Assembly elections, saying that the political situation would become clear only with time and that even Kumaraswamy could not predict who would come to power."Let us wait and see. We do not know who will come to power in 2028. Even Kumaraswamy cannot say that, but the people will be able to tell. Let Kumaraswamy resign from his post at the Centre tomorrow and engage in state politics," Parameshwara said while speaking to reporters.He added that nobody could stop anyone from engaging in politics.Kumaraswamy, while attacking the Congress government, had questioned whether the present dispensation would remain in power permanently and claimed that he knew what would happen after a year.Expressing confidence in the return of a coalition government in Karnataka in 2028, he alleged that those in power had misused their authority over the past seven to eight years and were attempting to finish off his family."I have faith that a coalition government will certainly come to power in 2028, and I will show my other face," Kumaraswamy had stated.In another development, Congress MLA Shivaganga Basavaraj, responding to allegations that Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar was the "father of sting operations" in Karnataka, said people knew who was actually behind such operations.Basavaraj pointed to Kumaraswamy's earlier public display of a pen drive during a media interaction and questioned who had subsequently been associated with the circulation of videos."Who displayed the pen drive and claimed that it would be released soon? Was it Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar or former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah? Kumaraswamy himself displayed the pen drive. Whose videos eventually came out, and whose family's videos were circulated?" he asked.His remarks appeared to be an indirect reference to the case involving former JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna.Basavaraj said senior leaders had experience in dealing with such matters and that Shivakumar, whom he described as his political guru, had advised party members to remain cautious.He also said that first-time legislators had undergone a five-day training programme organised by the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), during which precautions had been discussed.According to Basavaraj, Shivakumar had warned them earlier to exercise caution in such matters.In a surprising development on Monday, BJP MLA Shivaraj Patil came in support of Siddaramaiah.Patil stated in Raichur that Siddaramaiah brought welfare schemes and guarantees for the people, and it was he who brought his party to power in the state. "If this person is being pushed into such a situation, it is unfortunate. I am really moved to tears. Siddaramaiah is one of the tallest leaders of the state. During his period, women got their money," Patil added.