Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah and H.D. Kumaraswamy continue to spar over transfers

On November 16, Mr. Kumaraswamy had sought to link a phone conversation between Mr. Yathindra and his father, widely circulated on social media, to allege a ‘cash for postings’ scam, a charge rejected by the Chief Minister.

Continuing his attack on Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, JD(S) State president H.D. Kumaraswamy alleged that an official’s name mentioned in a phone conversation between the CM and his son Yathindra had figured in the transfer list of police inspectors released the previous night. The Chief Minister soon responded stating that Mr. Kumaraswamy had taken to fabricating stories in an attempt to mislead people.

On November 16, Mr. Kumaraswamy had sought to link a phone conversation between Mr. Yathindra and his father, widely circulated on social media, to allege a ‘cash for postings’ scam, a charge rejected by the Chief Minister.

On November 18, sharing the transfer list containing 13 names, which was issued by the Police Department on November 17, Mr. Kumaraswamy said it showed the transfer of an official — Vivekananda — from State intelligence to V.V. Puram police station in Mysuru. He claimed it was the person who figured in the phone conversation.

Reacting immediately, the Chief Minister said, “Although the record had proved beyond doubt that his conversation with Mr. Yathindra related to development of government schools in Varuna constituency, Mr. Kumaraswamy continues to spread lies.

“Vivekananda, who is mentioned in our conversation, is the BEO (Block Education Officer) of Mysuru taluk, but Mr. Kumaraswamy came up with the name of an officer by name Vivekananda in some transfer list. It seems that the political reality of not regaining power in his lifetime has taken away the sleep of former chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, and disturbed his mental well-being,” the Chief Minister tweeted on X. He described HDK’s problem as ‘Histrionic Personality Disorder’.

In Mysuru, Mr. Yathindra said that Mr. Kumaraswamy was indulging in ‘low-level politics’.

“I am an ex-MLA of Varuna, and have been vested with the responsibility of overseeing the development work by my father who was elected from this constituency and is the Chief Minister,” said Mr. Yathindra, reiterating that the conversation pertained to one such work.