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Cong junks JD(S)’s charge that party luring voters in rural B’luru
On March 19, Kumaraswamy released photos and video clips of two trucks transporting cookers to distribute voters allegedly by Congress candidate D K Suresh.
Bengaluru The Congress on Sunday refuted allegations by Janata Dal (Secular) leader H D Kumaraswamy that MP DK Suresh had allegedly played a role in distributing cookers to lure voters in Bangalore Rural Lok Sabha.
Following the allegations, the income tax department on Saturday served a notice to a pressure cooker manufacturing company in the Harohalli industrial area of Ramanagara’s district over its alleged involvement in supplying pressure cookers to politicians for voter inducement.
The I-T officials also directed the company, which operates seven inventory centres in the Bangalore Rural Lok Sabha constituency, to furnish details regarding wholesale buyers and the production volume of pressure cookers over the past few months.
According to people familiar with the matter, the company’s Bengaluru office has been summoned to participate in the investigation proceedings.
On March 19, Janata Dal (Secular) leader H D Kumaraswamy released photos and video clips of two trucks transporting cookers to distribute voters allegedly by Congress candidate D K Suresh and urged the Election Commission to promptly transfer the deputy commissioner, superintendent of police and zilla panchayat CEO of Ramanagara, alleging their complicity in the illicit activities of Congress candidate D K Suresh. He said that the JD(S) workers found the lorries in Maralavadi village in Ramanagara district, part of Bengaluru rural Loksabha constituency.
“I urge the Election Commission to take immediate action against the unlawful activities unfolding in the rural areas of Bangalore. Should it falter, I will mobilise our workers. We must ascertain the whereabouts of these cookers and mobilise our activists to dismantle them. Let these officials dare to file cases against our activists,” warned Kumaraswamy.
Expressing dismay over the perceived inaction of the EC, he questioned the efficacy of the electoral oversight in the state. “What is the Central Election Commission doing? Does it remain oblivious to the electoral malpractices rampant in the rural areas of Bangalore since the announcement of elections?” he queried, urging the Commission to investigate the recent events.
Kumaraswamy further criticised the bureaucratic hurdles encountered in reporting such irregularities, citing the lack of responsiveness from tehsildars and commercial tax departments.
Reacting to the allegations, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee media wing coordinator Dodde Gowda on Sunday ruled out allegations and said that the party candidate (DK Suresh) did not distribute any article to voters. “The people of Bengaluru Rural admires DK Suresh for his development works in constituency and will elect him in larger margin,” he added.
According to people familiar with the matter, the income tax authorities initiated an investigation in accordance with directives from the EC after the allegations were levied.
