Controversial Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate B Sriramulu performed gau puja (cow worship) before casting his vote in the ongoing Karnataka elections on Saturday, seemingly unfazed by the Congress’ allegations of corruption against him a day before.
Sriramulu is contesting against incumbent chief minister Siddaramaiah from Badami constituency. The BJP has also propped him from the Molakalmuru constituency.
The Congress had approached the Election Commission on Friday to demand Sriramulu’s arrest and disqualification on corruption charges. The previous day, the ruling party had released two videos from 2010 that allegedly showed Sriramulu and mining baron G Janardhana Reddy negotiating a bribe meant to be given to the relative of a former Chief Justice of India for influencing the verdict in a case involving the Obulapuram Mining Company. The clips, which appeared to show Sriramulu, the judge’s son-in-law and Reddy in conversation, were also aired on a local television channel in Karnataka.
The state electoral authority later barred television channels from telecasting the videos.
{{/usCountry}}The state electoral authority later barred television channels from telecasting the videos.
{{/usCountry}}“We have requested the election commission to disqualify B Sriramulu from contesting the polls, and lodge an FIR against everybody who appeared in the video,” senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal had said after meeting the poll panel. The party made four demands, including lifting the ban on airing the videos, in its three-page memorandum.
However, the BJP has rubbished the allegations levelled against its candidate. “This is fake, there are several such videos (being circulated in the state),” said party president Amit Shah.