Countering Karnataka BJP president BS Yeddyurappa's allegations that Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah paid `1,000 crore to the Congress high command to stay in power, the Congress on Tuesday released a video clip of a purported conversation between Yeddyurappa and Union Minister Ananth Kumar where the two are discussing how to politically use the issue.
The Congress released a minute-long video clip of a BJP event where Yeddyurappa and Ananth Kumar are purportedly discussing the issue. The purported conversation got recorded inadvertently as a microphone was on.
"The video of February 12, 2017 has placed the entire evidence in public domain. The video is for you to see, judge and decide and for the entire country to see, judge and decide. Never has this country seen such a glaring instance where one of the senior members of the Union Cabinet has admitted to collection of money and sharing of booty at the highest level. If that is so, the onus today lies on the PM for taking action and sacking both Ananth Kumar and Yeddyurappa," said AICC spokesman Randeep Surjewala.
The Congress demanded that the Prime Minister and BJP president Amit Shah need to answer if the money that was being so collected, as admitted by his Cabinet Minister and the BJP President and former CM, was being shared up to the highest level and what is that highest level.
Ananth Kumar is purportedly heard telling Yeddyurappa that the issue can be used politically to stain the Siddaramaiah government because nobody would believe denials by the Chief Minister. "let them go around issuing denials till the elections," Kumar is purportedly heard saying.
Yeddyurappa had alleged that entries in a diary found during Income Tax searches at properties belonging to an aide of Siddaramaiah had revealed information regarding payments to the tune of Rs 1,000 crore to the Congress high command. Siddaramaiah paid the amount to meet resource needs of the party, the state BJP chief had alleged.