Will answer graft allegations, DKS tells BJP, JD(S)

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: In an uncharacteristic gesture, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar resorted to name calling when confronted with allegations that Congress was tied to the recent Income Tax (I-T) Department raids against a contractor in Bengaluru.

He made the comments to mediapersons during his visit to the residence of All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday.

The properties that were raided belonged to Karnataka State Contractors Association (KSCA) vice president R Ambikapathy. The exercise allegedly yielded Rs 42 crores, which the Opposition JD(S) and BJP claims were bribes meant to be paid to the State government.

The ruling party of Telangana Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) has joined in the tirade and claimed that this money would be used by Congress to fund poll campaigns in the five states where elections are due, besides the Lok Sabha polls of 2024.

Assembly polls in Telangana are due in November. CM Siddaramaiah has claimed that the allegations were totally baseless, adding that the Congress high command hadn’t asked the Karnataka unit of the party for a single penny.

“I’m not a coward. I haven’t run away from anyone. I will give a befitting reply to the former CM, Fake Swamy blackmail, loti (loot) Ravi and everyone else. I will disclose everyone’s misdeeds,” Shivakumar said, most likely referring to BJP bigwigs Basavaraj Bommai and CT Ravi, besides JD(S) legislature party leader HD Kumaraswamy.