Contractor's suicide: BJP targets Priyank Kharge without evidence, says Parameshwara
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Tuesday defended his cabinet colleague Priyank Kharge, embroiled in a controversy over a contractor's suicide, saying the BJP was making allegations without evidence.
The home minister also hoped that the truth would come out from the CID probe.
The contractor has left behind a seven-page note in which he made allegations against a person, who is said to be Kharge's aide.
BJP has demanded that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah should ask Priyank Kharge to resign immediately, and has set a January 4 deadline to hand over the case to the CBI, failing which the party has threatened to lay siege to the Minister's residence after organising a huge rally in Kalaburagi.
"Priyank Kharge himself has clarified that he has no role in it and has nothing to do with it. He said that his name was not there in the suicide note. Despite this the BJP is trying to fix him. There should be some basis. If there is any proof that Priyank Kharge is directly involved then fine, but without any evidence unnecessarily accusing a person is not right," Parameshwara said, responding to a question on BJP's demand.
Speaking to reporters here, he said, BJP is a national party, and they should not stoop down to this level, as they too have run the government in the past, and they lead the government at the Centre.
"While running a government, we all function with responsibility. Priyank Kharge is also functioning responsibly. Unnecessary allegations are being made against him, if there is any supportive evidence then we will accept," he added.
Sachin Monappa Panchal, a 26-year-old contractor, ended his life by falling under a train on January 26, leaving behind a suicide note alleging that Raju Kapanur, a close associate of Kharge, had issued death threats demanding rupees one crore for awarding a contract.
The note also accused seven others of cheating by not awarding him a contract, despite taking a Rs 15 lakh bribe. The contractor alleged that they threatened to kill him if he failed to pay the Rs 1 crore.
An FIR has also been filed against Kapanur and five other Congress leaders in Kalaburagi on Saturday on the charge of allegedly conspiring to murder a few BJP leaders, including MLA Basavaraj Mattimadu, based on the suicide note.
To a question on police not arresting accused Raju Kapanur yet, the Home Minister said, the case had been handed over to CID.
"Unnecessarily making allegations is not fine, let there be a CID probe, truth will come out from it.....whether financial transaction was there or other things will be known from the inquiry," he said.
Responding to a question, Parameshwara said as Priyank Kharge has been highlighting mistakes of BJP and JD(S) publicly on several occasions both inside and outside the Legislative Assembly, they don't like it, and hence they are targeting him.
To a question on the state government's decision to file an appeal in the Supreme Court, challenging the bail granted to Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa and other accused in the Renukaswamy murder case, Parameshwara said, "It was decided at the government level in this regard, an order was issued yesterday. An appeal will be filed in the Supreme Court."
Reacting to BJP MLC C T Ravi meeting the Governor, alleging that he was illegally arrested, and ill-treated by the cops in Belagavi, based on a complaint by Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar accusing him of using a derogatory word against her in the Legislative Council, the home minister said, CID is probing it and facts would come out.
"Action will be taken based on that," he added.
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UDF leaders see local body poll trends as pointer to 2026 Assembly elections in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Buoyed by the strong performance of the Congress-led UDF in the local body polls, KPCC president Sunny Joseph said on Saturday that the front's results indicated the people had rejected the LDF government.
According to early trends, the UDF was leading in more grama panchayats, block panchayats, municipalities and corporations than the LDF.
The local body polls were held in two phases in the state earlier this week.
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Speaking to reporters here, Joseph said the people of Kerala had extended their support to the UDF.
"We could expose the LDF government’s anti-people stance and the people understood it. The LDF’s fake propaganda was rejected by the people. The UDF is moving towards a historic victory," he said.
He said a united effort, proper preparations, good candidate selection and hard work had resulted in the Congress and the UDF’s victory in the elections.
Asked about the prospects in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, Joseph said the party was studying the matter and would comment later.
LDF convenor T P Ramakrishnan said the results would be closely examined.
According to him, the government had done everything possible for the people.
"Why such a verdict happened will be examined at the micro level. People’s opinion will be considered and further steps will be taken," he said.
He added that decisions would be taken after analysing the results. "If any corrective measures are required, we will initiate them and move forward," he said.
AICC leader K C Venugopal said the results showed that people had begun ousting those who, he alleged, were responsible for the loss of gold at Lord Ayyappa’s temple.
"This trend will continue in the Assembly elections as well. It is an indication that the people are ready to bring down the LDF government," he said.
Venugopal said the UDF had registered victories even in CPI(M) and LDF strongholds.
"I congratulate all UDF workers for their hard work. Congress workers and leaders worked unitedly," he said.
Referring to remarks made by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan against the Congress on polling day, Venugopal said the voters had responded through the verdict.
"I do not know whether the chief minister understands that the people are against him. Otherwise, he does not know the sentiment of the people. The state government cannot move an inch further," he said.
He said the results indicated a strong comeback for the UDF in Kerala.
Asked whether the Sabarimala gold loss issue had affected the LDF in the local polls, Venugopal said the CM and the CPI(M) state secretary did not take the issue seriously.
"We took a strong stand on the matter. The BJP played a foul game in it," he alleged.
On the BJP's role in the local body elections, Venugopal alleged that the party operated with the CPI(M) 's tacit support.
"The CPI(M) supported the central government on issues such as PM-SHRI, labour codes and corruption in national highway construction. The CPI(M) is facing ideological decline, and the state government’s policies are against the party’s own decisions," he said.
Meanwhile, LDF ally Kerala Congress (M) leader Jose K Mani said the party could not win all the wards it had expected in the elections.
He congratulated winners from all parties and said the party would closely examine the losses and identify shortcomings. "Later, we will take corrective measures," he added.
Senior Congress leader and MP Rajmohan Unnithan said the trends in the local body elections indicated that the UDF would return to power in the 2026 Assembly elections.
"We will win 111 seats as in 1977 and return to power in 2026. The anti-government sentiment of the people is reflected in the elections," he said.
Unnithan said the people were disturbed and unhappy with the present government.
"The trend indicates the end of the LDF government," he added.
CPI(M) MLA M M Mani said the people had shown ingratitude towards the LDF despite benefiting from welfare schemes.
"After receiving all welfare schemes and living comfortably, people voted against us due to some temporary sentiments. Is that not ingratitude," he asked.
Mani said no such welfare initiatives had taken place in Kerala earlier.
"People are receiving pensions and have enough to eat. Even after getting all this, they voted against us. This is what can be called ingratitude," he said.
Muslim League state president Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal said the results were beyond expectations.
"The outcome points towards the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram, indicating that a change of government is imminent. We are going to win the Assembly election," he said.
