‘A dozen MLAs married twice’: DK Shivakumar’s Assembly remark sparks row, BJP demands names

Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar’s claim in the Legislative Assembly that around a dozen MLAs who moved to Bengaluru had married twice has triggered a political row, with BJP leaders demanding that he disclose the names instead of leaving every legislator under suspicion. Shivakumar made the remark Thursday while speaking about Bengaluru’s rapid population growth and how people who move to the city rarely return to their places of origin.

The Chief Minister said legislators were no exception and claimed he knew of around a dozen such cases. He indicated that he could name lawmakers from districts including Dharwad and Dakshina Kannada but stopped short of identifying anyone, prompting the Opposition to question why he had made the assertion on the floor of the House without providing details.

‘I can give the list’

Shivakumar’s remarks came during an Assembly discussion in which he was addressing the pressure on Bengaluru caused by rapid urbanisation. Referring to the city’s ability to retain people who arrive for education, employment and other opportunities, he said even legislators who came to Bengaluru did not return permanently to their home districts.

“MLAs who come to Bangalore don’t go back. Whoever came have been married twice. One dozen such instances. I can give the list,” Shivakumar said. He also referred to his decades of political experience and said he could provide examples, though he ultimately did not disclose any names.

Shivakumar extended his argument beyond politicians, saying lawyers and others who moved to Bengaluru also tended to settle in the city. He said the city’s urban population had increased significantly over the years, placing growing pressure on its infrastructure and resources.

BJP asks CM to name MLAs

Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka objected to Shivakumar’s comment and called it unnecessary, arguing that the Chief Minister should identify the legislators he was referring to if he was prepared to make such a claim publicly. Ashoka said the remark had effectively placed every MLA who had moved to Bengaluru from another part of Karnataka under suspicion.

Senior BJP MLA S Suresh Kumar also criticised the comment, saying it had created “unhealthy curiosity” among the public. Even if Shivakumar had intended the remark as a joke, Kumar argued, such statements made from the floor of the Assembly did not enhance the dignity of the House.

Kumar said the Chief Minister should either name the legislators he was referring to or clarify his remarks so that other lawmakers were not subjected to speculation or ridicule. The BJP’s criticism turned what had initially appeared to be an aside during a wider Assembly discussion into a political controversy Friday.

Remark came during Bengaluru debate

Shivakumar had been discussing Bengaluru’s expansion when the exchange took place. He referred to the city’s transformation over successive periods, mentioning founder Kempegowda, former chief minister Kengal Hanumanthaiah and S M Krishna while describing how Bengaluru had grown into a major international city.

The Chief Minister’s broader argument was that people who came to Bengaluru tended to stay, contributing to the city’s continuing population growth. His reference to the personal lives of legislators, however, quickly overshadowed the larger discussion and became the focus of Opposition criticism.

BJP MLA B P Harish had also responded to the remark in the Assembly, questioning how Shivakumar had acquired such detailed knowledge about the personal lives of legislators. Shivakumar did not elaborate and indicated that the subject could be discussed privately.

Names remain undisclosed

Shivakumar has so far not publicly named the MLAs he claimed had married twice. The assertion therefore remains his claim, with no details placed in the public domain to establish which legislators he was referring to or the circumstances behind the alleged second marriages.

The BJP has sought to keep the pressure on the Chief Minister by arguing that leaving the allegation unspecified affects legislators collectively. With Shivakumar saying he possesses a list and Opposition leaders demanding that he produce it, the controversy has shifted from an off-the-cuff Assembly remark to a dispute over whether the Chief Minister should substantiate what he said.