Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Friday released two audio clips, accusing Bharatiya Janata Party state president BS Yeddyurappa of trying to poach a Janata Dal (Secular) MLA by offering money, ANI reported. Yeddyurappa has called the audio clip “fake and baseless”.
In the audio clip, Yeddyurappa purportedly offered Janata Dal (Secular) MLA Naganagowda Kandkur’s son, Sharana, Rs 25 lakh and a ministerial post for his father. Kumaraswamy said the poaching of legislators would not have happened without Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s knowledge, Hindustan Times reported.
“On one side Narendra Modi is preaching to the country and politicians, on the other side, he is encouraging his friends to demolish democracy through black money,” Kumaraswamy said, according to ANI.
Kumaraswamy also accused Modi of “systemically demolishing this country’s democracy” and misleading the people. “I request all the Opposition parties to rise,” he said. “They must expose the truth of the Prime Minister in the Parliament.”
Kumaraswamy said he will write to the Speaker about the alleged poaching, reported The News Minute. “I request everyone to please judge what is going on in this country,” he said. “This [one tape] is more than enough for you now. If required we will reveal more.”
Yeddyurappa responded, according to The News Minute: “Let Kumaraswamy prove that the audio is real first. Within 24 hours I’ll retire from politics, 101%, if he can prove it.”
“Kumaraswamy himself is a film producer,” he said. “He is an expert in voice recording.... whatever the charge he has made is baseless.”
Kumaraswamy is set to table the state Budget in the House on Friday. BJP legislators had created ruckus in the Assembly on Wednesday and Thursday, claiming that the coalition government of Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) lacked majority.
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