A fresh political storm erupted in Karnataka on Thursday as state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief B Y Vijayendra launched a sharp attack on the ruling Congress government, accusing it of widespread corruption. The allegations were swiftly countered by Deputy Chief Minister and state Congress president D K Shivakumar, leading to a heated exchange between the two prominent leaders.
Vijayendra's Allegations of Graft
In a strongly worded statement made on December 18, 2025, Vijayendra targeted the Siddaramaiah-led administration. He alleged that the government's coffers were being emptied due to corrupt practices and maladministration. The BJP leader painted a picture of a state treasury under severe stress, implying financial mismanagement by the incumbent regime. His comments were seen as part of the opposition's ongoing strategy to corner the Congress government on issues of governance and fiscal responsibility.
Shivakumar's Fiery Counter-Challenge
Reacting to the accusations, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar did not hold back. He dismissed Vijayendra's charges and launched a personal counter-attack. Shivakumar stated that the BJP state president lacks experience in governance and legislative matters. In a bold challenge, Shivakumar dared Vijayendra to speak on the floor of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly and specify exactly which state coffers were empty.
This direct challenge underscores the high-stakes nature of the confrontation, moving the debate from public statements to the formal arena of the state legislature. Shivakumar's retort aimed to question both the substance of the allegations and Vijayendra's authority to make them, framing the BJP's criticism as uninformed opposition rhetoric.
The Political Context and Fallout
The war of words highlights the intensely competitive political landscape in Karnataka, where the Congress and BJP are locked in a continuous battle for supremacy. Accusations of corruption and counter-accusations of inexperience are common tropes, but this specific exchange gains significance due to the senior positions held by both individuals.
Vijayendra, as the head of the state BJP unit, is leading the charge to rebuild the party after its defeat in the last assembly elections. Shivakumar, as the Deputy CM and the party's chief troubleshooter in the state, is a key defender of the government's record. This clash is likely to set the tone for the political discourse in the state in the coming weeks, with both sides preparing to amplify their arguments for public consumption.
The incident, reported by PTI, adds another chapter to the state's volatile politics. It remains to be seen if Vijayendra will accept Shivakumar's challenge to raise the issue in the Assembly, potentially leading to a more formal and documented debate on the state's financial health and allegations of graft.
