Karnataka Director General of Police (Civil Rights Enforcement) K Ramachandra Rao has been suspended following the circulation of multiple videos on social media purportedly showing him in compromising positions with women. The videos, which remain unverified, reportedly depict Rao in what appears to be his office, and some audio clips allegedly feature him speaking to women in an inappropriate manner.

Suspension order cites unbecoming conduct

The official suspension order stated that Rao’s actions were “obscene” and “unbecoming of a government servant,” causing embarrassment to the state government. It added that the government is “prima facie satisfied that it is necessary to place Dr K. Ramachandra Rao under suspension with immediate effect, pending inquiry.”

During his suspension, Rao is not permitted to leave the headquarters without written permission from the state government.

Rao rejects allegations

Rao, a 1993 batch IPS officer, has strongly denied the allegations, calling them “fabricated and false.” Speaking to reporters, he said, “I am shocked. It is all fabricated and a lie. The video is all false. I have no idea about it.”

He added that he was unsure how or when the videos surfaced, stating, “In this era, anything can happen. I have no idea about it.” Rao also referred to old videos, saying they could date back eight years when he was posted in Belagavi.

Political reactions

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said disciplinary action will follow if Rao is found guilty. “We will initiate disciplinary action against him. No one is above the law, notwithstanding how senior the police officer is,” the CM said.

Senior BJP leader S Suresh Kumar described the incident as a “disgraceful act” and “an inexcusable crime,” asserting that it has tarnished the image of the police department.

Rao’s troubled past

Rao has previously faced allegations related to assisting his stepdaughter, actor Ranya Rao, who was arrested for gold smuggling last year. He was accused of helping her bypass customs and police checks using official protocols. After being placed on compulsory leave in March, Rao was reinstated following an investigation and later appointed as the DGP for the Directorate of Civil Rights Enforcement in August.

Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Nitin Nabin was confirmed on Tuesday as the party’s new national president, replacing Jagat Prakash Nadda after an extensive internal selection process that began at the grassroots and culminated at the national level. He is set to be formally declared in the presence of the party’s top leadership at the BJP headquarters in Delhi.

The appointment of the 45-year-old leader is being seen as a clear signal of the BJP’s renewed focus on organisational strength and generational transition ahead of several crucial state elections, including those in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam and Uttar Pradesh, and in the run-up to the 2029 Lok Sabha polls.

Party sources have described the move as a contrast to the opposition’s leadership profile, underlining the BJP’s emphasis on younger leadership backed by organisational experience.

A leader known for coordination and discipline

Those who have worked closely with Nabin describe him as hardworking, politically curious and firmly committed to a party-first approach. He is widely seen as grounded, accessible and a leader who believes in samanvay, or coordination, within the organisation.

Sources also point out that Nabin is regarded as someone who understands the leadership’s working style and ensures collective decision-making, particularly by carrying senior leaders along. This approach is viewed as critical to maintaining stability within the party’s top ranks.

His social background is also seen as politically neutral, with party insiders noting that this has helped him work across groups without friction.

Two decades of organisational experience

Despite his relatively young age, Nitin Nabin brings nearly two decades of experience within the BJP organisation. He rose through the ranks from the party’s youth wing in Bihar and has handled several key organisational and election-related responsibilities over the years.

He is a five-time MLA, having first won from the now-defunct Patna West seat in 2006 before securing four consecutive victories from Bankipur. Nabin has also served briefly as a minister in Bihar, handling departments such as Law, Roadways and Urban Development.

Within the party organisation, he has served as national general secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha and as president of the BJP’s Bihar unit.

The Chhattisgarh factor

A major turning point in Nabin’s rise came during the 2023 Chhattisgarh Assembly elections, when he was tasked with leading the BJP’s campaign in the state. At the time, the Congress was widely perceived to be in a strong position, with several exit and opinion polls predicting a victory for the incumbent government.

Under Nabin’s leadership, the BJP secured a clear majority, a result that political observers attributed to extensive groundwork, organisational restructuring and micro-level coordination. The campaign is seen as a demonstration of his ability to deliver results in challenging political परिस्थितियाँ.

Party insiders believe this success played a decisive role in positioning Nabin for the party’s top organisational post.

Focus on future challenges

Beyond Chhattisgarh, Nabin also played a key role in the BJP’s recent political success in Delhi, where the party returned to power after nearly three decades.

All these factors culminated in Tuesday’s announcement at the BJP’s Delhi headquarters, where Nitin Nabin was named the party’s new national president in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior leaders.

With major state elections ahead and the long-term goal of securing another Lok Sabha victory, Nabin now takes charge of steering the BJP’s organisational machinery through a crucial phase.

The contest for the Mumbai mayor’s post remains far from settled, according to leaders of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT), even as the ruling Mahayuti alliance has crossed the majority mark in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

The BJP emerged as the single largest party in the BMC elections, winning 89 of the 227 wards. Its ally, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, secured 29 seats. Together, the Mahayuti alliance has 118 corporators, comfortably above the majority requirement of 114 in India’s richest civic body, which has an annual budget of over Rs 74,000 crore.

However, senior Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut maintained that the numbers tell only part of the story.

Uddhav Thackeray’s faction finished second with 65 wards. Raut said that when allied parties are taken into account, the UBT-led grouping stands at 108 seats, just six short of the majority.

“We are currently at 108 with the UBT, MNS, Congress and our allies. The target is 114. We are marginally short by just six seats. Just wait and watch, anything can happen in Mumbai politics,” Raut said.

Allies and numbers

Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), which aligned with the Uddhav faction shortly before the polls, won six seats. The Congress, which contested in alliance with the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi, secured 24 seats.

Other parties in the civic house include the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen with eight seats, the Samajwadi Party with two, the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party with three, and one seat won by the Sharad Pawar faction. The Ajit Pawar-led party is part of the ruling alliance at the state level but fought the civic elections independently.

War of words over corporators

Raut also took a sharp dig at Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, alleging that corporators from the Shinde-led Sena had been moved to luxury hotels to prevent defections.

“Our corporators are at home, living a normal life,” Raut said, adding that rival leaders were acting out of fear. He claimed that some elected representatives did not want to see a BJP mayor in Mumbai and could switch sides.

Responding to the allegations, the Shinde camp dismissed claims of poaching fears, stating that its 29 corporators-elect were attending a training workshop at a five-star hotel. Party sources said the arrangement was meant to familiarise newly elected members with organisational expectations, not to keep them confined.

With both sides trading claims and counterclaims, the battle for the Mumbai mayor’s chair appears set for intense political manoeuvring in the days ahead.