Cong rushes to defend Venugopal over solar scam

Bengaluru: The ruling Congress in Karnataka rushed to the defence of its AICC general secretary KC Venugopal, whose name figured in an inquiry report tabled in the Kerala Assembly on the sensational solar scam.

Venugopal is in-charge of the party's affairs in the poll-bound Karnataka. "There is no truth in the allegations being levelled against Venugopal. He is being targetted for political gains," Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president G Parameshwara told reporters here.

The Justice G Sivarajan Committee report tabled in the Kerala Assembly reportedly contains graphic details of how Venugopal sexually abused the main accused.

The Karnataka BJP drew first blood as it demanded the Congress to remove Venugopal as the party's in-charge. "The image of the Congress party has improved ever since Venugopal assumed charge. The BJP is unable to digest this," Parameshwara said. "There's so much muck within the BJP. We know what their ministers have done. The LDF and BJP have teamed up to reap political gains by targetting Congress."

Venugopal's alleged involvement in the solar scam "has not and will not" cause any setback to the Congress, Parameshwara said, while trying to discredit the accusations made by the main accused. "She is already facing 32 cases against her. Even the Kerala High Court called it a political gimmick," he said.