BENGALURU: Former Chief Ministers BS Yediyurappa and Siddaramaiah have rubbished Janata Dal Secular leader HD Kumaraswamy’s claims about a secret meeting between the two days before the Income Tax department raids on contractors working on irrigation projects.
“Except meeting him during my birthday celebrations on February 27, 2020, I have not met Siddaramaiah. There is no need for me to meet him. We (BJP leaders) are working on strengthening BJP and bringing it back to power in state again,” Yediyurappa said responding to Kumaraswamy’s statement. The BJP leader said he will not rest till he reaches the goal of bringing the party back to power and he will never compromise on his principle.
Siddaramaiah too refuted Kumaraswamy’s claims. “The last time I had met Yediyurappa was on his birthday. I have not met him even once after that. If Kumaraswamy proves that I met Yediyurappa, I will retire from politics. It is Kumaraswamy who meets Yediyurappa regularly,” Siddaramaiah said.
The JDS leader, who is engaged in a war of words with Siddaramaiah, had alleged that the IT raids were conducted on contractors after the two former CMs met. Three big contractors were raided last week and the IT department had detected undisclosed income of about Rs 750 crore. Dismissing the allegation, Siddaramaiah said he is the Leader of Opposition and will the BJP that is in power in the Centre listen to him to conduct the IT raids.