HD Kumaraswamy accuses Congress of bribing voters with cookers in Bangalore rural

“Is there a state elections commission in the state? Is there a DC or SP in this state? I demand a central commission (to probe). After the election announcement, what is going on in the Bengaluru Rural seat? What is going on in Karnataka? Who should run the election smoothly? Who will take responsibility?” Kumaraswamy asked a series of questions.

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Demands EC intervention

He continued: “I requested the Election Commission on Sunday about these things in Bengaluru Rural seat. They have already loaded two vehicles and more than 4 lakh cookers are being distributed.”

“The distribution is still underway. Is this still poll functioning in Karnataka? I appeal to the election commission to look into this,” the former chief minister urged the ECI.

He said: “An honest cardiologist is contesting from the BJP. How can he face this kind of election? I referred this matter to Commercial Tax. He is denying such activities. But the cooker manufacturing is still underway.”

“The great brothers have also informed us not to put stickers on the cookers. But the Deputy commissioner is denying such illegal activities,” Kumaraswamy alleged that officials are also part of this.

Kumaraswamy, showing pictures of the godown where cookers are allegedly stored, said he brought the issue to the notice of the Chief Electoral Officer in Karnataka, who directed Ramanagara Deputy Commissioner (DC) to look into it. The DC referred the matter to the Commercial Tax department.

However, on their visit to the spot, officials of the Department claimed they found no such activity there, he said.

“But the truth is it is still going on and today also the cookers are being manufactured for this purpose. The DK brothers (Shivakumar and Suresh) have directed (manufacturers) to send the cooker boxes without any labelling and after taking the delivery they will stick the labels with their photos at a different place,” Kumaraswamy said, and alleged that the the manufacturing is being done in Harohalli industrial area.

“If ₹2,000 is being given under one of the guarantees to save the life of poor, then what is the necessity of distributing cookers? If the authorities fail to act, I will give a call to my party workers to set fire to places where sarees and cookers are being stored. I will also see who will file the case,” he challenged.

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Takes a dig at DK Shivakumar

Taking a dig at Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, Kumaraswamy said: “I have observed his statements (made on Tuesday morning). He expressed concerns about the relationship between alliance partners. You (Shivakumar) are the main reason behind my decision to do adjustment in the Bengaluru Rural seat,” added the former chief minister.

“When the government was being formed in 2018, he used to say that I must remain as the chief minister for five years. I had to put a lot of effort into running the government. I was continuously being targeted claiming that I would stay at a private hotel and hardly available to people,” he alleged adding that the Congress indulged in his character assassination.

On Shivakumar inviting JD(S) leaders and workers to the party, Kumaraswamy replied: “The party had grown strongly in the old Karnataka region. We had maintained it. In the 2018 Assembly polls, people had given a mandate against the Congress. Then they had come to our doorsteps and compelled us to form the government.”

“Now, you discuss about secularism and morals. You always portrayed us as the BJP’s B team. It was you who sent us to the BJP. It is you only had given suggestion to make it official,” he added.

“When I had run the government in alliance with the BJP, I was the common man. I am able to save this party because of the alliance made with the BJP then, which had strengthened me.”

“When I was in alliance with Congress, you tried to destroy my party. I am aware of how you treated me every step to finish me. My party MLAs were brainwashed and tried to attract them towards Congress, which is being continued. Is it possible to forget all these, DK Shivakumar?” he questioned.

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‘JD(S) helped DK Suresh win’

Stating that it was JD(S) that helped DK Suresh to win in the 2019 polls, Kumaraswamy pointed out: “If my Bengaluru Rural party workers had done similar to what you had done to Nikhil in Mandya, your brother would have been at home now. If my party workers had not worked sincerely, your brother would have been lost on the same day.”

He said that joining hands with the Congress was one of the bad decisions in his life.

Kumaraswamy said: “In Bengaluru Rural and Ramanagara, the JD(S) had a strong forte. In my 14-month tenure as the chief minister, you lured our party workers.

Kumaraswamy, targeting Shivakumar for inviting JD(S) workers to Congress and for taking a dig for fielding Manjunath, said his party workers have not come to a stage where they will have to seek Congress’ “protection.”

“My decision to join hands with the BJP is one of the bad choices I made to save secular. You put prey to the six-decade political life of Deve Gowda. I know how many people they have bought. I know in detail about the political engineering in Bengaluru Rural and Ramanagara,” Kumaraswamy also alleged.

“BJP is not treating me like you did. You slit my throat. I know your role in the collapse of the alliance government. I don’t need your sympathy,” Kumaraswamy told Shivakumar.