Drug mafia money used for toppling JDS-Cong coalition: Kumaraswamy

Bengaluru: Former Karnataka chief minister H D Kumaraswamy on Wednesday alleged that certain MLAs took money from the drug mafia to bring down the JDS-Congress coalition government headed by him last year.

He claimed that some people part of the efforts to topple the coalition government were found to be involved in illegal activities, including drug trafficking and betting.

The JDS leader was referring to the fall of the coalition government in July last year owing to the disqualification of 17 rebel MLAs of Congress and the JD(S) and the installation of the BJP government led by B S Yediyurappa.

"To bring down my government, money was collected from mafia indulging in cricket betting and drug trafficking and illegal dance bar operators," Kumaraswamy told reporters in Channapatna in Ramanagara district.

He was reacting to recent busting of a drug trafficking racket here by the Narcotics Control Bureau with the arrest of three people, including a woman recently, and its statement that the trio was supplying drugs to the singers and actors of Kannada film industry and some influential people.

The police have also arrested three people, allegedly involved in selling cannabis in Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, from Mysuru and seized over 200 kg of the narcotic on August 27.

The JDS leader said when he was in power he had spoken in the assembly about the money from these mafias being used to bring down his government.

"Media had then reported that some of the MLAs were getting money from the drug traffickers," Kumaraswamy alleged, adding the BJP had rubbished it.

"Did I say that BJP leaders toppled my government?

I had only said that these mafias were also active to bring down my government. Now, who got money from them should speak up," Kumaraswamy said.