Over 1,000 officials in Karnataka to intimidate Congress leaders, workers: Siddaramaiah

Siddaramaiah said the BJP was going to misuse the investigating agencies like the Income Tax (IT) Department, Enforcement Directorate (ED), and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for political gain.

Congress leader Siddaramaiah accused the BJP of misusing various autonomous agencies. (Facebook/Siddaramaiah, file)

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Karnataka Congress has alleged that the Union government has dispatched more than a thousand officials of the Income Tax (IT) Department, Enforcement Directorate (ED), and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to intimidate party leaders and workers ahead of the May 10 Assembly elections.

Addressing a news conference in New Delhi late Monday evening, Siddaramaiah accused the BJP of misusing various autonomous agencies. “BJP high command knows that the party is sinking in Karnataka and will not return to power. They also know that its hate politics and Hindutva agenda will not benefit it in the coming elections. The only way left for them (to win in Karnataka) is by misusing their powers and through money power,” he said.

According to information shared by sources, Siddaramaiah said the BJP was going to misuse the investigating agencies for political gain. “They have already dispatched more than a thousand IT and ED officials with plans to conduct raids on Congress candidates, Congress workers and those who back the party,” he said, adding that the agencies were already threatening leaders from his party.

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In a tweet, Siddaramaiah also said there was a lot of infighting within the BJP and “many of their leaders are waiting to join Congress”. “Disturbed by this fact, BJP is trying to misuse their power to attack us,” he said.

JD(S) leaders too in the past have cast aspersions on investigating agencies. Former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy had said the central agencies will be used against leaders from Opposition parties ahead of the Karnataka Assembly elections.

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