Hours after Income Tax officials conducted raids on Janata Dal (Secular) leaders, Janata Dal (Secular) chief HD Deve Gowda today claimed that the BJP tried to lure his son – Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy by offering him money into agreeing to an electoral alliance before the 2018 Karnataka assembly elections.
According to a report published in a leading news agency, Mr Gowda said “Before the elections, the BJP requested Kumaraswamy to come to Mumbai before the election. They promised big money for the Janata Dal (Secular)’s electoral expenses. I was aware of this. Knowing my stand, Kumaraswamy took a hard decision. He rejected the offer by saying he would not go against the wishes of his father and join hands with the BJP.”
He also asserted that “Until now, the Income Tax officials had been targeting Congress leader DK Shivakumar. Now, they have targeted two parliamentary constituencies and the Public Works Department office is being searched. It is sad that they have stooped to such low levels.”
Mr Gowda also claimed that two years ago he had refused a meet with BJP president Amit Shah. “He had sought an appointment to meet me at my residence two years ago. I said it can’t happen,” he said.
Thursday’s tax raids came less than 24 hours after Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy warned that he would use “Mamata Banerjee’s tactics” against any move by the centre to use the government’s organs for political vendetta in election season, Income tax officers raids politicians of Janata Dal Secular-Congress coalition and their associates across Karnataka.
The Karnataka government alleged the BJP government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi was using the income tax department to harass leaders of the ruling coalition in Karnataka.
The Lok Sabha elections in Karnataka are scheduled to take place on April 18 and 23. Results will be out on May 23.