In a significant political development ahead of Assembly polls, Karnataka Anti- Corruption Bureau(ACB) has filed the first information report (FIR) against two senior BJP leaders, Union Minister HN Ananth Kumar and State unit chief BS Yeddyurappa on Sunday. The FIR was filed in connection with a leaked audio clip of a conversation before a Press conference purportedly between the two leaders.
According to sources the FIR was filed after the forensic report confirmed the voices of the two in a leaked video, in which both were heard confessing about money transaction made by local political leaders to their high command.
In February, the ruling Congress, which is vigorously campaigning to retain the power in Karnataka, which is crucial to keep their national identity intact, had released an audio and video clip recorded by a private news channel in which two leaders were heard confessing to money transactions made by local leaders to their party high command. They were also heard plotting about Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. They were allegedly heard saying “We will accuse him, he will have to clarify. People might not believe he got kickbacks of Rs 1,000 crore but we will accuse him. Till elections they will have to keep clarifying.”
In May a Bengaluru court had asked both the leaders to submit their voice samples. The ACB FIR against two BJP leaders seen as a counter to the leaked dairy of Govindaraju, political secretary to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah which was allegedly seized during an income tax raids talks about money sent to the high command. The diary leaks became a major issue and Yeddyurappa exposed the writings in which he claimed that it was supposed to be of Govindaraju and was seized during an IT raid on him. The BJP had alleged that Siddaramaiah has paid Rs 1,000 crores to the high command to stay in power.
The Congress used the CD and had accused the BJP of promoting corruption using the video clip of a purported conversation between Yeddyurappa and Kumar, in which the two can be seen deliberating on how to politically use allegations made against Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah that he paid Rs 1,000 crore to the Congress high command to stay in power.
However, Yeddyurappa called this a political vendetta and blamed Siddaramaiah behind the entire episode. He said “Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is behind this. This is a political vendetta ahead of elections. ACB comes under Siddaramaiah and he is misusing it. We are ready to face the ACB.”
It was in February the BJP exposed and made the diary alleged jottings of Govindaraju a major political issue. This issue became a major national issue just a month after Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi’s bid to embarrass prime minister Narendra Modi with details of Sahara- Birla diaries. The diary had allegedly details of payments made by the congress leaders during and after the lok Sabha elections. Even though Govindaraju confirmed about the IT raids which happened in March 2016 he refuted the BJP’s allegations that the diary belongs to him.
Political analysts feel that the timing of the ACB filing FIR against two BJP leaders will have impact on the assembly polls which is crucial for both the parties. The BJP has declared Yeddyurappa as the chief ministerial candidate and wants to re capture power from the ruling congress in its bid to make Congress mukth Karnataka. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah who is playing the appeasement politics to the hilt has been the Congress face to lead the party to come back to power.