K’taka BJP urges EC to take action on use of money in bypolls

Bengaluru: Karnataka BJP has urged the state Election Commission (EC) to initiate action on the “looted money being used” by the state government in three Assembly segments going to by-elections.

"It has come to our attention that Congress leaders, who are in charge of the state by-elections, are attempting to use the maximum amount of looted money in these three constituencies. Karnataka Chief Election Commissioner must take this issue seriously," Union Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda told media persons.

He stressed the need for strict monitoring of the three Congress election coordinators. “We are ready to provide the Election Commission with all the necessary information. If there is no vigilance, they will misuse the influence of money to ruin the minds of the general public and transform this election into a money-driven one," Gowda claimed.

He added that the BJP is not afraid and the workers and the NDA will continue their “honest” work. However, if the EC fails to control the underground activities of these coordinators, it could have a serious impact on the general public.

“There is a bit of worry about those handling the election responsibilities for the Congress party. For instance, in Sandur, former minister B. Nagendra, who has just come out of jail in the Valmiki Tribal Welfare scam, is in charge. Minister for Waqf Zameer Ahmad Khan, who has been accused of changing farmer-owned lands to Wakf accounts to acquire them, is the coordinator in the change of Shiggaon assembly seat. In Channapatna, Shivakumar is managing the election,” he stated.

He said that the Congress is making an all-out effort in this by-election to ensure the victory. “Three Congress leaders, who have been experts in looting the Karnataka treasury, are handling the by-elections. They are determined to win the election with their monetary power,” he said.

He alleged that if people fall prey to the influence of money, Congress's governance, which lacks any development, will continue. “The state will face a continuation of scam-ridden government. Land grabbing of farmers will continue and the people won't get any relief due to the miserable inability of the Congress government to compensate for rain damages,” he claimed.

He also claimed that the NDA would win all three seats in the state.