The JDS and the BJP have accused Karnataka deputy chief minister D.K. Shivakumar of masterminding the “conspiracy” to circulate smut videos involving H.D. Revanna and his son Prajwal with an eye on becoming the top leader of the Vokkaliga community.

“D.K. Shivakumar is targeting the Gowda family to become the top Vokkaliga leader. The Congress is targeting the Vokkaliga community as a whole (with the case), just like they removed Veerendra Patil and insulted the Lingayats,” R. Ashoka of the BJP, the leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, told reporters on Tuesday.

Then Congress president Rajiv Gandhi had in 1990 sacked chief minister Veerendra Patil in the wake of communal violence that followed L.K. Advani’s Ram Rath Yatra. Patil’s Lingayat community took it as an insult and shifted loyalties to the BJP.

The sex scandal involving hundreds of video clips found in pen drives abandoned in various public places in the Hassan Lok Sabha constituency where Prajwal is seeking re-election has come as a huge blow to the NDA allies.

H.D. Revanna is in police remand after being arrested for allegedly abducting one of the survivors of the alleged sexual abuse involving his son Prajwal, who has fled to Germany. Revanna has denied the allegation against him.

“They (the Congress) made one lakh such pen drives,” Ashoka alleged and questioned the source of funds for embarking on such a massive “conspiracy” to target the Gowda family.

He accused the special investigation team (SIT) constituted to probe the sex scandal of being the “rubber stamp” of chief minister Siddaramiah and Shivakumar.

Responding to the allegations, chief minister Siddaramaiah posted on X: “The central government should cooperate in bringing the accused Prajwal Revanna, who is said to be abroad, to India.”