<p class="rtejustify">Income tax officials raided the house of a Congress functionary in Rajarajeshwari Nagar on Sunday evening, hours before the Assembly constituency goes to poll. </p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">A team of officials entered the house of Ravi Gowda, the president of Rajarajeshwari Nagar block Congress, near BDA Complex in Nagarabhavi around 4 pm and searched it till 8.30 pm. They pored over some documents and looked for his bank account details.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Local parliamentarian and Congress leader D K Suresh addressed a late-night media conference to condemn the raid. He accused the BJP-led Union government of using the income tax department as a “puppet” and said the raid was aimed at marring the reputation of the Congress party a day before the polling. He suggested that the BJP had been “trying hard to “postpone” the RR Nagar poll. </p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Suresh denied rumours that crores of rupees in cash were seized from the house and said all the necessary documents had been submitted. </p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">When asked about the JD)S) allegations against the Congress candidate, Munirathna, he said: “We have joined hands with the JD(S) to form the government. We have not tied up to contest this election.” </p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Gowda, for his part, said the raid began around 3.30 pm and that no money was recovered. The Congress’ press conference just hours before the polling prompted the BJP to file a complaint with the Election Commission. The complaint was filed by the party’s state office secretary, Ganesh Yaji.</p>
<p class="rtejustify">Income tax officials raided the house of a Congress functionary in Rajarajeshwari Nagar on Sunday evening, hours before the Assembly constituency goes to poll. </p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">A team of officials entered the house of Ravi Gowda, the president of Rajarajeshwari Nagar block Congress, near BDA Complex in Nagarabhavi around 4 pm and searched it till 8.30 pm. They pored over some documents and looked for his bank account details.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Local parliamentarian and Congress leader D K Suresh addressed a late-night media conference to condemn the raid. He accused the BJP-led Union government of using the income tax department as a “puppet” and said the raid was aimed at marring the reputation of the Congress party a day before the polling. He suggested that the BJP had been “trying hard to “postpone” the RR Nagar poll. </p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Suresh denied rumours that crores of rupees in cash were seized from the house and said all the necessary documents had been submitted. </p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">When asked about the JD)S) allegations against the Congress candidate, Munirathna, he said: “We have joined hands with the JD(S) to form the government. We have not tied up to contest this election.” </p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Gowda, for his part, said the raid began around 3.30 pm and that no money was recovered. The Congress’ press conference just hours before the polling prompted the BJP to file a complaint with the Election Commission. The complaint was filed by the party’s state office secretary, Ganesh Yaji.</p>
