Moily Tweet row is a closed chapter, says party high command

The Congress high command has decided to treat as a closed matter the controversy over a tweet by senior leader M Veerappa Moily, suggesting money plays a role in his party deciding who gets the ticket for upcoming Assembly elections in Karnataka.

A day after the tweet, the party high command on Friday launched a swift enquiry into the matter and seems to have absolved Moily of any wrongdoing.

"I have enquired into the matter. He (Moily) has said he did not do it. We treat the matter closed," AICC general secretary in-charge Karnataka, K C Venugopal told DH.

As the tweet went viral, Moily disowned it and said internal issues should not be discussed in public.

Speaking to reporters here, Moily said "That Twitter (handle) is not in my control. It's not (an) appropriate (tweet). I'm withdrawing (it)."

Neither me nor my son has any role in it , the former chief minister said.  

"It was a mistake committed by somebody else and I will ensure it will not repeat in future," he stated.

Asked whether his twitter account was hacked, he said he is yet to check on it. When asked whether he will file a complaint with cyber crime police, he just said: "Forget the matter."

Meanwhile, Karnataka Pradesh Congress president G Parameshwara said it must be handiwork of the BJP to discredit the Congress when it was holding plenary session.

One person can't hijack the ticket selection and it is a lengthy process, he added.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said "since Moily himself has clarified that he has not tweeted, now matter is closed and there is nothing to react."