BENGALURU/DAVANAGERE: Even as the top Congress leaders are busy finalising the list of ministers to be sworn in on Wednesday, along with new Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, senior Congress leader
BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan was caught in the eye of a storm over an alleged leaked audio clip.
An audio clip purportedly a conversation between Zameer and former Karnataka Muslim Development Corporation (KMDC) Director Mohammad Siraj during the Davangere South Assembly constituency by-election has gone viral.
The Congress’ Davanagere unit has requested the party high command to initiate action against Zameer for what they say are anti-party activities. It is alleged that he spoke to Siraj and told him to prevent minorities from voting in the elections, as they would vote for Congress. He allegedly backed SDPI or an independent candidate.
Meanwhile, former Mayor of Davangere K Chaman Sab and KPCC spokesperson D Basavaraj submitted a detailed letter to the Congress high command demanding action against Zameer.
Zameer and Siraj rubbish allegations Zameer and Siraj, however, have rubbished the allegations.
Zameer called it a fake audio generated using Artificial Intelligence and termed it a political conspiracy against him. The Congress leader said they will file a case with the Cybercrime police.
“It is a fake audio created by miscreants to create confusion, and people should not trust it,” he said in a statement issued after the audio went viral.
Siraj said the audio, which has gone viral on social media, is fake and needs to be investigated.
“I have never spoken to Zameer Ahmed Khan about this issue. I had spoken to him about resolving the differences that arose over the Davanagere South ticket. Who is behind this audio getting viral can be known only on a later day,” he said.
It is a larger conspiracy against Zameer becoming the Deputy CM but it will not sustain, as they are staunch Congress workers, he said.
In the Davanagere assembly segment, Congress candidate Samarth Shamanur won with a narrow margin against BJP’s Shrinivasa T Dasakariyappa. The SDPI candidate got over 18,000 votes. The split in the minority votes was a cause of concern for the Congress. The party had taken action against some leaders.
Congress should conduct investigation: MLA Samarth
Davanagere South MLA Samarth Shamanur Mallikarjun said the issue of the anti-party activities by a section of Congress leaders is an open secret, and the party should conduct an investigation. He said BJP, SDPI, and independent candidates unitedly conspired against him.
“Let the audio be verified in a forensic lab. Let the high command investigate and take action. Our party leaders internally supported the BJP candidate. God is watching above. Let them stop conspiring against the party,” he said.
Seers urge Siddaramaiah to make Zameer Deputy CM Taking to social media platform X, Zameer stated that seers and heads of religious institutions from across the state urged caretaker Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to consider appointing him as the Deputy CM.
Evidence reaches top brass?
Sources said that the conspiracy involves several more individuals and that a thorough probe is likely to expose the full extent of the internal sabotage. What is interesting is that many more pieces of evidence have reportedly already reached the Congress high command.