BSY dismisses bribe payment charge as 'malicious', says I-T probe found documents to be fake
Congress has accepted their defeat even before the battle begins
Bengaluru, Mar 22: The BJP's Karnataka chief B S Yeddyurappa on Friday rubbished as "atrocious and malicious" the allegation that he had paid.
Rs 1,800 crore as bribe to the party top brass, after the Congress demanded a Lokpal probe into the issue.
The allegation has been already inquired into by the Income Tax department and it has been found that documents are "fake", the former Karnataka Chief Minister claimed, terming it as a "closed chapter". He accused the Congress of raising the issue as it was "frustrated" over its "imminent defeat" in Lok Sabha polls.
"To be frank all the issues being raised by Congress including one raised by them today about alleged payment of crores of rupees has been already inquired and it was found that documents are fake," Yeddyurappa said in a statement.
He said the Income Tax department officials found that the documents, signatures and handwritten notes were forged.
"Congress leaders who are apt in carrying out all these atrocious and malicious campaigns have planted this story in the media to gain political mileage in the coming elections," Yeddyurappa said.
"Above all issues raised by Congress leaders are irrelevant and false. The issue is a closed chapter," he added.
Citing a media report, the Congress on Friday sought an investigation by the Lokpal into allegation that bribes of Rs 1800 crore were paid by Yeddyurappa to the BJP's top brass.
Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala, addressing a press conference in New Delhi, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should come forward and clarify.
Accusing the Congress and its leaders of being bankrupt of issues and ideas, Yeddyurappa said, "They don't have any development issues to discuss in public.
"Congress leaders are frustrated with the growing popularity of the Prime Minister Narendra Modiji and BJP. They have realized that their defeat in the 2019 elections is imminent. They have lost the battle before it begun."
Surjewala said the report by Caravan magazine cited a diary containing details of the alleged pay-offs to senior BJP leaders and it was seized by the Income Tax Department during raids.
"Prima facie, this is a case of investigating all BJP leaders, right from the PM and downwards.
"It is a fit case to be investigated by the newly appointed Lokpal," he said.
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Congress, Raijor Dal finalise alliance; state party gets 11 seats
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Guwahati (PTI): After days of negotiation and uncertainty, the Congress and Raijor Dal finalised seat-sharing arrangements for the Assam assembly polls, and decided that the national party will leave 11 constituencies for the other one, and there will be a friendly contest in two. In a late-night development on Thursday at Jorhat, leaders of the two parties, headed by state Congress president Gaurav Gogoi and Raijor Dal chief Akhil Gogoi, signed the agreement.
Akhil Gogoi will contest from Sivasagar, a seat he won in the last polls while still in prison on sedition charges for allegedly instigating violence during the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests.
The Congress had given the Margherita seat to the Raijor Dal. Earlier, the national party had given it to Prateek Bordoloi, who decided not to contest on a Congress ticket after his father defected to the BJP earlier this week.
The other seats to be contested by Raijor Dal are Dalgaon, Dhing, Sissiborgaon, Digboi, Bokakhat, Manas, Tezpur and Kaliabor, while friendly contests will take place between the two parties in Goalpara (East) and Gauripur.
The party has nominated a woman candidate, Gyanashree Bora, from the Mariani constituency.
The opposition alliance now comprises six parties -- Congress, Raijor Dal, Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP), CPI(M), All Party Hill Leaders Conference (APHLC) and the CPI(ML).
The Congress has announced its complete list of 87 seats, the AJP in 10 seats while the CPI(M) and APHLC will contest in two seats each.
Gaurav Gogoi thanked the Raijor Dal president, his team, and everyone who worked to ensure the alliance took place.
"It is not easy for a party like Congress to give up seats, but the national leadership agreed in the interest of the state and its future," the Congress state chief said.
''After assessing the ground realities and being satisfied with our answers to the queries raised by the high command, it was agreed that the alliance takes place,” he added.
Gaurav Gogoi said that several sections of the society, particularly some renowned civil society leaders, played a prominent role in ensuring the alliance takes place in the interest of the state and its people.
He appealed to all to work for the win of all candidates put up by the alliance's six parties.
"We have many dreams and aims to create a new Assam where the development of all and not just one person and his family, is ensured," Gogoi said.
People of Assam want to be free of Himanta Biswa Sarma's ''low level of politics'' where he uses fear and threats to intimidate people so he can remain in power, he claimed.
The Raijor Dal president said that they decided to contest the elections unitedly to oust the BJP government, led by Himanta Biswa Sarma, and make Gaurav Gogoi the chief minister.
''People of Assam are dissatisfied with the BJP-RSS as they have changed the social fabric of the state, and there is a need to overthrow Sarma's undemocratic, corrupt and communal government,'' he said.
Akhil Gogoi urged the Jorhat electorate to vote for the Congress president, stating they have a ''historic opportunity to elect the state's future CM and help build a new Assam.
"Jorhat will get a CM, and the entire state will get a youth leader who has made a mark on the national arena," he said.
Raijor Dal is contesting only 13 seats in the interest of the people and the future of the state to ensure that the BJP is defeated, he said.
Akhil also apologised to those from the party who could not get a ticket.
The elections to the 126-member Assam assembly will be held on April 9. Votes will be counted on May 4.
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