The Karnataka High Court has stayed the criminal defamation trial against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in a case filed by the state unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over pre-election advertisements published by the Congress party accusing the previous BJP government of widespread corruption.
The interim relief halts proceedings in the lower court while the High Court hears Siddaramaiah’s challenge to the defamation case, which arose from a controversial Congress campaign ahead of the 2023 Assembly elections. The campaign branded the BJP regime as a “40% commission sarkar,” suggesting large-scale kickbacks in government deals and public services.
The advertisements, published in multiple newspapers, featured a so-called “corruption rate card” that alleged specific amounts being demanded for postings, transfers, and tender approvals under the BJP-led government.
Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, who also heads the Karnataka Congress, and senior party leader Rahul Gandhi had earlier secured similar stays in the same defamation matter, according to India Today.
The legal development comes amid renewed political chatter about a possible leadership change in the state, with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s position speculated to be under threat. However, quashing rumours of internal discord, Siddaramaiah on Thursday firmly declared there is “no vacancy” for the chief ministerial post.
“As far as the party is concerned, there is no question of changing the leadership. The question doesn’t arise at all. I am elected for the full term,” he asserted, adding that even Deputy CM DK Shivakumar is in agreement with this stance.
