'Unprecendent witch hunt' to win one RS seat: Ahmed Patel

Congress leader Ahmed Patel on Wednesday accused the Modi government of carrying out a “witch-hunt” as Income Tax officials carried out raids on the premises of Karnataka Energy Minister D K Shivakumar.
 
Shivakumar has been tasked the responsibility to ensure the safety and security of 44 Gujarat legislators of the Congress who have been tucked away at a resort on the outskirts of Bengaluru to prevent defections to the BJP.
 
“BJP is on an unprecedented witch-hunt just to win one Rajya Sabha seat,” Patel said on Twitter. Patel is the political secretary to Congress President Sonia Gandhi.
 
“After using the state machinery and every other agency, these I-T raids show their utter desperation & frustration,” said Patel, whose re-election to the Rajya Sabha appeared to be in jeopardy as six Congress legislators crossed over to the BJP amid reports that much more were planning to quit the party.
 
Congress also questioned the timing of the raid rejecting the Income Tax Department’s clarification that the Gujarat MLAs were not the subject of investigation.
 
“Timing of search is questionable, especially when it's on the minister and his brother who have been coordinating the safety and stay of Gujarat MLAs,” senior Congress leader Anand Sharma said.
 
Patel is seeking a fifth term as Rajya Sabha member and the Congress believes that the BJP is trying to embarrass the senior leader by pulling out all stops to ensure his defeat in what otherwise would have been an easy election.
 
An electoral loss could affect the morale of Congress workers ahead of the Gujarat assembly elections expected to be held in November-December. The Congress has been out of power in Gujarat since 1995.