BENGALURU:  To an audience of party workers, Karnataka minister PT Parameshwara Naik brags “She did not take my call. She did not receive it. So I had her transferred. If they don’t answer the phone of the district minister, why should they stay?”

Enthusiastic applause follows.

The comment may have been well-received at the gathering, but there was a tactical error for a politician showing off his clout – the conversation was filmed and has been uploaded on social media days after the minister floated the idea that he had no role to play in the transfer of a senior police woman Anupama Shenoy.

The Congress, which governs Karnataka, is scampering around, somewhat ungracefully, for a defense.   “I don’t know what prompted the minister to make that statement. The party will look into it,” said minister TB Jayachandra.

Ms Shenoy was transferred about a week ago from her post in Ballari, which the Congress has assigned to the charge of Mr Naik. Her transfer came two days after she put the minister on hold when he called her, reportedly to answer another call from her boss.

At the time, Mr Naik had denied any role in the shuffle, insisting that Ms Shenoy’s reassignment was an administrative decision taken by the police.