Chikkamgaluru, 8 May

Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar charged JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy with being behind the circulation of explicit videos linked to Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna.

He called him the "king of blackmailing" and the "lead, director, and producer of the story". Shivakumar, also the state Congress President, was reacting to Kumaraswamy demanding his dismissal from the Cabinet, dubbing him a "key conspirator" in the circulation of alleged sex videos.

The 33-year-old JD(S) MP, who is Kumaraswamy's nephew, is facing sexual abuse charges.  "Kumaranna (Kumaraswamy) wants my resignation, it seems there is competition for Vokkaliga leadership," Shivakumar said.

While speaking to reporters here, he said, "Finishing (politically) one after the other is his (Kumaraswamy) job. Kumaraswamy is king of blackmail...he is threatening everyone, officers, and politicians. Let's discuss this in the Assembly."

Kumaraswamy on Tuesday had claimed that 25,000 pen drives with videos of women being sexually abused by his nephew, Lok Sabha election candidate Prajwal Revanna, were distributed before polls, and accused Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar of a conspiracy.

Asked about allegations that Congress was behind the pen-drive circulation, Shivakumar said, "Kumaraswamy is getting things done by the BJP, he is behind everything, let the investigation happen." "Let those speaking on the issue, if they have any shame, go to the victims' family and try to instil confidence and give them strength," he said.

Reacting to JD(S) staging a protest against him, Shivakumar said, they "can't sleep" without taking his name. -PTI