Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel HD Kumaraswamy on Sunday expressed concern over the prevailing political situation in Congress-ruled Karnataka and said he will return to state politics when the time is right.
To questions from reporters from Mysuru, Mr. Kumaraswamy said, “When I look at the situation in the state, sometimes I also feel that I should have been here.”
When asked about his possible return to state politics, he noted that he would make that move “when the time comes.”
On a possible BJP-JD(S) alliance for the upcoming local body elections, Mr Kumaraswamy said discussions would still take place, but added that leaders of the two parties would meet to decide how to proceed with the alliance, with the common goal of ousting what he described as a “corrupt” Congress government.
Alleging that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was targeting the JD(S), the Union minister alleged that efforts were being made to tarnish his and former prime minister HD Deve Gowda’s reputation and sideline them politically.
He further alleged that the state government had set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to harass him and try to seize four acres of his land in Bidadi, Bengaluru South district. Mr. Kumaraswamy said he bought 43 acres of land using the income he earned as a film distributor in the 1980s and alleged that the SIT’s action was politically motivated.
Mr Kumaraswamy said his family had been exposed to undue publicity due to allegations of family politics. “No other family has gotten the kind of publicity that mine has,” he said.
He also alleged that there were attempts to psychologically harass and weaken Mr. Deve Gowda in connection with a case involving a family member, in an apparent reference to the rape case involving former MP Hassan Prajwal Revanna.
Questioning the government’s decision to reward SIT members investigating the case, Mr. Kumaraswamy said he had rarely heard of such rewards except in the case of the special task force formed to nab forest robber Veerappan.
Mr. Kumaraswamy further noted that Mr. Siddaramaiah, who rose politically under Mr. Deve Gowda, is now acting against the Gowda family.
Asserting that the JD(S) cannot be weakened, he said that the thousands of party workers who built the party would not allow any attempt to complete it.
Published – 08 Feb 2026 20:00 IST