BENGALURU: Former chief minister and Congress Working Committee (CWC) member Siddaramaiah will meet Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Sunday and discuss the alleged sting operation targeting him during his two-day visit to New Delhi.
Siddaramaiah is scheduled to leave for Delhi on Saturday to participate in the Congress-led INDIA bloc protest against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls at Ramlila Maidan. He is expected to brief Rahul on the alleged sting operation and the investigation into it.
Siddaramaiah’s move comes a day after Bengaluru police gave him a clean chit, describing the viral video, which contained allegations of sexual abuse against him, as fabricated and deliberately made.
The police investigation, however, is continuing to establish the origin of the video and identify those behind it.
Siddaramaiah had earlier said that he had brought the issue to the notice of the Congress high command after speaking to AICC general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal. His son and Urban Development Minister Yathindra Siddaramaiah had alleged that the conspiracy was intended to damage his father’s political legacy.
The controversy also triggered speculation about a conspiracy in the Congress. Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi on Friday dismissed such a possibility. He said Siddaramaiah is free to discuss the issue and other matters related to the party with Rahul.
Home Minister Priyank Kharge said the investigation is progressing in the right direction.
Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in the legislative Assembly R Ashoka accused Venugopal of directing the state Congress leadership to end the investigation.
Ashoka claimed that Venugopal had summoned Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and Home Minister Priyank Kharge and instructed them to put an end to the investigation. He alleged that the police had closed the case under pressure from the Congress leadership.
“KC Venugopal and the Congress high command ordered that the case be closed. That is why it has been closed. The police have neatly buried it,” Ashoka said.
Ashoka claimed that Siddaramaiah is unhappy with the manner in which the controversy has been handled. The Congress leadership should act before the former chief minister reacts strongly, he said.
DKS to skip Delhi protest; Says Siddu given clean chit
Shivakumar on Friday said that he would not participate in the Congress-led INDIA bloc protest against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in New Delhi on November 1, as the State Government and the party had planned special celebrations to mark Kannada Rajyotsava. He also said that former CM Siddaramaiah had been given a clean chit in the alleged sting operation controversy.
Shivakumar said district in-charge ministers would hoist the Kannada flag in their respective districts, while MLAs and Congress workers had been asked to participate in the celebrations. District and block Congress presidents and party workers, however, would attend the Delhi protest, he said.
On the sting operation controversy, Shivakumar said that Siddaramaiah had been given a clean chit, amid the ongoing investigation into the circulation of the purported video.
The CM also said he had wanted veteran Kannada activist Vatal Nagaraj to receive the Rajyotsava award, but was told that Nagaraj had declined it, as he had done on earlier occasions.