"Aren't BJP politicians the most honest in the country?": Karnataka Dy CM on BJP MLA caught taking bribe

Feb 21, 2026

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], February 21 : Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Saturday took a dig at the BJP on corruption in the wake of a BJP MLA, Chandru Lamani, being nabbed by the Lokayukta while taking bribes.
Speaking to reporters at the GBA office, he sarcastically said, "Aren't BJP politicians the most honest in the country?" He was replying to a question on the BJP MLA being caught taking a bribe.
"BJP leaders can't be corrupted. Someone must have given you false information. Let's wait till the Lokayukta gives its statement, and then I will give my comments," he quipped, taking a dig at the BJP.
Asked about the comments of the BJP leaders who dubbed Youth Congress protests at the AI summit as anti-national, he said, "I will talk about this after I gather more information about the party's stand on this."
Earlier on Thursday, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said that there was a strong anti-incumbency wave in Assam, and said that people in the state were looking for a change in the government.
He said that if the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were strong in Assam, it would not try to induct former state Congress president Bhupen Kumar Borah.
Speaking to the reporters here, Shivakumar said, "All our senior leaders and office bearers are very much confident that on the ground, there is a big anti-incumbency wave. The people of Assam want a change."
"If the BJP were strong, why would they beg our former PCC President (Bhupen Borah)? Not a single worker from our party went with the former PCC President. That shows that the BJP is very weak and is losing," he added.
Shivakumar's remarks come as Bhupen Kumar Borah is set to join the ruling BJP on February 22. This major shift comes just a day after Borah tendered his resignation from Congress, marking a pivotal development in the buildup to the state Assembly elections.

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