Mysuru, Oct 14 — Amid the sting operation controversy and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah obtaining a court stay against the dissemination of allegedly defamatory content about him, prominent BJP MLA and former minister Ramesh Jarkiholi met him at his residence in Mysuru and held a private discussion on Wednesday.
The meeting has assumed significance as Congress leaders have alleged that those behind the sting operation involving Ramesh Jarkiholi, which led to the circulation of his private video and compelled him to resign from his ministerial post in the previous BJP government, are also behind the sting operation targeting Siddaramaiah.
Speaking to the media after meeting Siddaramaiah, Jarkiholi said the former Chief Minister should not have obtained a stay in connection with the sting operation controversy and should instead have fought the issue.
“I will not speak about the sting operation. I had come to meet Siddaramaiah to discuss other matters. Irrespective of which party he belongs to, he is our leader,” Jarkiholi said.
Jarkiholi visited Siddaramaiah's residence in T.K. Layout in Mysuru and held discussions with him for some time.
Meanwhile, Siddaramaiah declined to comment on the sting operation controversy when reporters sought his reaction in Mysuru. Questioning what more he could say on the issue, he said he had obtained a court stay and would not comment further.
Asked about Jarkiholi's visit, Siddaramaiah said the BJP MLA had come to enquire about his well-being.
“He came to enquire about my well-being. Ramesh came, had lunch and left,” Siddaramaiah said.
Former minister and Congress MLA K.N. Rajanna on Tuesday said that those behind the controversial CD involving former Karnataka Minister and BJP leader Ramesh Jarkiholi were also responsible for the video allegedly targeting former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
Rajanna's remarks came after Siddaramaiah, a Congress Working Committee member, approached a Bengaluru court seeking an injunction against the circulation and broadcast of allegedly defamatory audio and video clips linked to a reported sting operation.
Speaking to the media in Bengaluru, Rajanna, a close associate of Siddaramaiah, said, “You tell us who was behind Ramesh Jarkiholi's CD? Those who got his CD done have got Siddaramaiah's as well.”
The controversy has revived political speculation over the alleged involvement of Shivakumar in the 2021 release of a purported CD, involving Jarkiholi, who resigned as a minister in the then-BJP government following the controversy. However, Rajanna's remarks did not establish any evidence of Shivakumar's involvement in the current episode.
Rajanna also claimed that an attempt had been made to conduct a sting operation against him when he was a minister in the previous Siddaramaiah-led cabinet.
“Such an attempt was made against me as well. They tried to carry out a sting operation against me. Since it was a government residence, I assumed that CCTV cameras would have been installed for security. However, I later came to know that no CCTV cameras had been installed,” he said.
This development occurred amid reported differences between Rajanna and Shivakumar in 2025. Rajanna had stated that he was ready to become Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President, the post held by Shivakumar then.
He had also demanded that a Dalit be made the Chief Minister in the event of a change in state leadership of Siddaramaiah.