Stung by raids, Cong exploring ways to hit back at BJP

The state Congress is exploring various options to politically take on the BJP following the I-T raids on Energy Minister D K Shivakumar.

Senior Congress leaders have accused the Modi government of indulging in political vendetta by using the I-T department as a weapon to conduct raids.

KPCC president G Parameshwara met Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday morning to discuss the raids and the party’s strategy to counter the BJP. The party will continue its district-level protests against the raids. In Bengaluru, the protest will be held in front of Mahatma Gandhi statue near Maurya Circle at 12.30 pm.

A section of Congress leaders is said to be keen that the party should hit back at the BJP by pursuing criminal cases against its leaders. The thinking is that the state government should file appeals in higher courts challenging the acquittal by lower courts. Besides, cases pending against senior BJP leaders including B S Yeddyurappa, K S Eshwarappa, Shobha Karandlaje among others could be revived.

Pending cases

There were reports in a section of the electronic media that Siddaramaiah had summoned Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) officials to his residence and sought infor- mation about cases pending against BJP leaders. However, sources in the chief minister’s office denied any such development.

Parameshwara told reporters that the I-T raids on Shivakumar is the BJP’s way of undermining his political power.

“The BJP knows the political power Shivakumar wields. The raid was the BJP’s attempt to crush him. The raids on his house are politically motivated. The Centre should not stoop to such levels,” he said.

Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy said the raids will damage the BJP politically. “The public can see how agencies like Income Tax department  , CBI, Enforcement Directorate and even the Election Commission are being used to settle political scores. This did not happen during the UPA regime,” Reddy said.