Poll panel verifying Congress complaint against BJP

The State Election Commission has forwarded a complaint filed by Congress leader V S Ugrappa to the Election Commission of India, demanding de-recognition of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

On March 6, Ugrappa had appealed to the State Commission to take cognisance of the admission made by Independent MLA B Sriramulu recently that he and former minister Janardhana Reddy had provided Rs 260 crore for the formation of the BJP government in 2008, and de-recognise the BJP.

The EC is said to be verifying the veracity of the complaint, besides ascertaining its jurisdiction over the matter.

The complaint was filed based on Sriramulu’s reported statement in Gadag recently about the Bellary Reddys paying Rs 200 crore to Yeddyurappa to form the BJP government.

A television channel aired what it claimed was a purported conversation between Sriramulu and the pontiff of Tontadarya Math in Gadag on Monday night, where he had reportedly said he and the Bellary brothers were “very supportive of Yeddyurappa even during the JD(S)-BJP coalition government”.

“When he was in the coalition government, he (Yeddyurappa) was very distressed. We stood by him. At that time, we paid Rs seven crore to Rs eight crore for six to 10 months. Later, during the formation of the government, we paid him Rs 200 crore,” Sriramulu had reportedly said.

However, Sriramulu denied discussing politics or money with the seer. “I just went to the mutt to invite the swamiji to my agitation programme. Can I discuss money matters with a pontiff,” he asked.

In Udupi, JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy demanded a CBI probe into the alleged money transaction.

Congress leaders, including Veerappa Moily and Jaffer Sharief, too have sought an investigation.