Karnataka: BJP baiting our MLAs, says Congress; wants I-T department to probe money source

BENGALURU: After days of defending its legislators and putting up a united front, the Congress on Friday decided to approach the Income Tax department with a complaint against BJP. While the party has urged the I-T department to investigate the source of money being “offered” to its legislators, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy’s allegation that advances are being paid to legislators raised many eyebrows. Congress, which has all along been accusing the I-T department of colluding with BJP to target its leaders, surprisingly approached the same agency accusing the latter of attempting to lure its MLAs to jump ship. The decision to knock on the I-T department’s doors was taken at a meeting between Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara, Water Resources minister D K Shivakumar and KPCC president Dinesh Gundu Rao on Friday. The party has sought action against BJP state chief B S Yeddyurappa, MP Shobha Karandlaje, MLAs Dr Ashwathnarayana and Satish Reddy apart from former minister C P Yogeshwar, accusing them of attempting to lure C S Shivalli, Basanagouda Patil and B C Patil. While the BJP called the Chief Minister’s allegations childish and reckless, state BJP president B S Yeddyurappa took to Twitter to call the Congress “insane” for approaching the IT department.“Advance payments are being made,” said Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, suggesting that he was in the know of MLAs who had been approached by BJP. “I know it all. I am not sitting idle. I know where they (BJP) are generating the money from. I will explore legal action against those kingpins who set the BBMP office on fire in 2009-10, a coffee planter from Sakleshpur who killed his wife and child, those who are running lottery rackets and are trying to get funds to disrupt this government,” Kumaraswamy added (see box on Page 5) stopping short of naming the people who he alleged are helping BJP raise funds to dislodge the JD(S)-Congress coalition government. ‘Plaint exposes bankruptcy of logic among Cong leaders’ A calm Kumaraswamy added that he was not making his move yet since neither he nor and his government was under any pressure as yet. Later in the day, a delegation of Congress leaders led by Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) Working President Eshwar Khandre and MLA Rizwan Arshad submitted a memorandum to the Commissioner of Income Tax, Karnataka and Goa, seeking a probe against BJP leaders, including B S Yeddyurappa. “Karnataka BJP leaders, at the behest of Yeddyurappa, are approaching some of our MLAs by offering cash and other allurements. We have asked the Income Tax department to probe the source of such money,” Khandre said after meeting the I-T Commissioner. Yeddyurappa, who has called for a meeting of state leaders on September 19, took to Twitter to mock the Congress. “Congress complaint to IT department on alleged horse trading in state politics: Complaint exposes the bankruptcy of logic among Congress leaders. Insanity seems to have completely gripped the Congress (sic),” he tweeted. Earlier in the day, BJP MLC N Ravi Kumar termed Kumaraswamy’s allegations as childish.“Kumaraswamy’s statement deserves to be condemned and rejected with the contempt it deserves; nothing can be more childish, reckless and ridiculous as this statement of the chief minister,” a statement from BJP said. Heat rises on political turf BJP state chief B S Yeddyurappa takes to Twitter; says complaint exposes bankruptcy of logic among Congress leaders. Deve Gowda admits ‘minor confusion’ in the coalition government; says attempts to destabilise it will not work. H D Revanna says alleged differences among Congress leaders will be sorted out once Siddaramaiah returns from Europe trip The coffee planter’s case A 49-year-old realtor had shot his wife dead with a revolver on June 21 and escaped with their three children in Jayanagar 4th Block. Police acted swiftly and nabbed him with his two children grievously injured by bullets near Bidadi. BBMP’s bogus bills scam The B1,539-crore bogus bill scam, which rocked BBMP in 2011 involved officials and contractors in releasing Palike’s funds for works that did not take place. The irregularities happened at Gandhinagar, Rajarajeshwarinagar and Malleshwaram divisions. Source: The New Indian Express