He wants our family finished: Kumaraswamy accuses Shivakumar of Rs 600-crore contract killing deal
Mangalore Today News Network
New Delhi, Oct 26, 2026: Union Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) leader HD Kumaraswamy has accused Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar of orchestrating an alleged Rs 600-crore deal to politically eliminate the family of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, escalating the ongoing political confrontation over a controversial sting operation in the state.
Kumaraswamy made the allegations on Sunday, while responding to reports of an alleged Rs 600-crore deal purportedly aimed at eliminating a political family. He claimed that Shivakumar was behind a series of conspiracies targeting the Deve Gowda family, describing the alleged deal as one such attempt.
“It is none other than the incumbent Chief Minister who ordered that our family be finished off. This Chief Minister has hatched several conspiracies to finish off our family. One among them is the Rs 600-crore supari (contract killing) deal," Kumaraswamy told reporters, asserting that Shivakumar was responsible for the alleged plot.
The allegations have not been independently established, and no publicly available investigative findings have confirmed the existence of the alleged deal.
Kumaraswamy linked his allegations to the ongoing controversy surrounding an alleged sting operation involving former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. He said the matter warranted a thorough investigation and questioned the state government’s handling of the case.
The JD(S) leader has previously alleged that Shivakumar used material from a sting operation against Siddaramaiah to influence the Congress leadership and facilitate a change in the state’s chief ministership.
According to Kumaraswamy, recordings from the alleged operation were taken to the Congress high command and used to pressure Siddaramaiah to step down, paving the way for Shivakumar to assume the top post. These claims remain allegations, rather than established findings.
The controversy intensified after Shivakumar reportedly cautioned Cabinet colleagues about possible sting operations targeting political leaders. The issue subsequently triggered competing accusations over who was behind the alleged recordings and whom they were intended to target.
Congress Rejects Allegations As Political Mudslinging
Kumaraswamy’s accusations come amid renewed tensions within Karnataka’s political landscape, particularly over the circumstances surrounding Siddaramaiah’s exit and the allegations involving the purported sting footage.
The Congress has previously rejected Kumaraswamy’s claims that Shivakumar orchestrated a sting operation to remove Siddaramaiah, describing the allegations as politically motivated and baseless. Shivakumar has denied orchestrating the alleged operation.
Siddaramaiah has also sought an investigation into the controversy, with questions remaining about who produced the disputed recordings, how they were circulated and whether they were used to influence political decisions.