Congress lodges complaint against Jarkiholi, CM, over ‘voter inducements’

BENGALURU: A day after BJP leader Ramesh Jarkiholi declared that the party will form the next government come what may, even if it falls short of majority, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president D K Shivakumar and legislature party leader Siddaramaiah lodged a complaint against Jarkiholi and several other BJP leaders alleging election fraud.

The Congress leaders filed the complaint at the High Grounds police station naming Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, BJP state president Nalin Kumar Kateel, MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi and also BJP national president J P Nadda alleging that the CM and Kateel had aided Jarkiholi in election fraud. Shivakumar said the complaint was registered under IPC Sections 171-b read with Sec 107, 120b, 506, and the Representation of People’s Act Section 123-1.

“The BJP is planning to come back to power by hook or crook and some 3-4 MLAs too have made similar comments. Jarkiholi has already said they will pay Rs 6,000 per vote to the five crore voters in the state. The BJP has raised money by taking 40 per cent commission and now they are offering inducements to voters and leaders. We have submitted all proof including documents and videos”, he noted.

“The BJP has made preparations at the booth level to distribute money to voters. An FIR should be registered immediately and investigation should be taken up. We have named the CM, Nadda and Kateel as Jarkiholi cannot be saying such things without their nod, and also because they didn’t act against him for making such remarks. We chose National Voters Day to lodge the complaint”, he insisted.

Opposition leader Siddaramaiah said, “The BJP has hatched a conspiracy and Nadda, Kateel, Bommai and Ramesh Jarkiholi are all part of it. They only got Jarkiholi to say it out. The BJP knows they will lose the 2023 election and that Congress will win. That is why they are trying to lure voters with inducements. They are planning to spend Rs 30,000 crore to bribe voters”.

Alleging that there was corruption in all departments, Siddaramaiah said, “Elections should be held in a free and fair manner, but the BJP does not believe in it and wants to uproot democracy. Now, we have lodged a complaint with the police and later on, we will complain to the Election Commission too”, he added.

Reacting to this in Belagavi, Ramesh Jarkiholi said, “It’s good that they are afraid of me. You can only imagine how much more scared they are of Modi and Amit Shah. Regarding the complaint, I will discuss with the party leaders and take the future course of action.”

He also said that his remarks were misinterpreted and that he meant providing Rs 6,000 aid to needy families, or for school expenses and added that his claim of spending Rs 10 crore was for the development of his constituency.