Political twist to suicide bid by CM’s secretary NR Santhosh

However, the BJP termed it as an attempt to politicise the issue and tarnish the party’s image. 
NR Santhosh
NR Santhosh

BENGALURU: The suicide bid by Chief Minister’s political secretary N R Santhosh has taken a political turn with the Congress alleging that he was under some kind of pressure, and demanded a detailed probe. However, the BJP termed it as an attempt to politicise the issue and tarnish the party’s image. 

Santhosh, meanwhile, is recovering in hospital. “He may be discharged from hospital in a day or two,’’ said Dr Naresh Shetty, president, MS Ramaiah hospital. CM B S Yediyurappa had visited the hospital on Friday night. 

Santhosh’s suicide bid: Cong seeks probe

Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president D K Shivakumar claimed that Santhosh was under pressure as there was a complaint against him in connection with some video footage and called for a detailed probe to establish the cause for the suicide attempt. But he did not reveal what the video contained. “I don’t know what it is about, but I have been briefed by some media persons about it.

Maybe he was embarrassed and probably attempted suicide fearing a backlash,” the KPCC president told reporters in Sirsi. Shivakumar said that about four months ago, Santhosh made a video and sent it to a BJP MLC who is said to have handed it over to party leaders. The Congress leader, however, did not name the

MLC or elaborate on the video. “Everything cannot be revealed before the media. An inquiry should be ordered into the matter to establish the truth”, he said. Stat e Congress working president Saleem Ahmed too demanded that a special team probe the case. The party will stage protest if the government fails to order a probe, he added. While the police have registered a case and initiated a probe, Santhosh’s wife Janhavi said,

“He has been under pressure for the last one year due to political upheavals.’’ Meanwhile, Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai and other ministers hit back at the Congress for making ‘unfounded allegations’ and asked Shivakumar to hand over the video that he referred to, for the police investigation. Shivakumar’s remarks drew a sharp reaction from a number of BJP leaders.

Revenue Minister R Ashoka, who was in Hassan, said it is not fair for Shivakumar to make baseless statements against Santhosh, while Rural Development Minister K S Eshwarappa and Cooperation Minister S T Somashekar termed the comments as an attempt to ‘mislead’ people.

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