Cong seeks details of ‘money paid’ by Ananth Kumar, Yeddyurappa

The Congress at a press conference on Tuesday attacked former Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa and Union Minister HN Ananth Kumar, seeking details of the alleged “money paid” that the two admitted in a purported conversation. Accusing the BJP of “misusing political power and public office for collecting money through devious means and ‘sharing of the loot’ at the highest level,” the Congress demanded action against the two senior BJP leaders by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah.

Incidentally, Karnataka BJP chief Yeddyurappa had last week accused Chief Minister Siddaramaiah of giving ₹1,000 crore slush money to the Congress High Command. His allegation was based on a diary that supposedly was seized during a raid by the Enforcement Directorate/ Income Tax officials of a Congress MLC considered to be close to the CM.

However, the tables were turned on February 13 when the Congress released a video clip of the two BJP leaders, in a purported conversation at a BJP function, admitting that they had also made similar payments to their high command when the party was in power in Karnataka. “When in power, you have also paid money, I have also paid money, when did I say I haven’t paid? But not ₹1,000 crore. But one has to then tell how much has been paid?” Kumar is purportedly heard saying in the video clip. Kumar also advises Yeddyurappa to keep the issue alive till the next Assembly election.

The clip can be seen from minute 4.00 onwards in this video of the Congress press conference:

Releasing the video clip at a press conference in New Delhi, Congress leaders Randeep Singh Surjewala, Dinesh Gundu Rao and Saleem Ahmed put forth the following questions to the BJP:

1. Union Minister Ananth Kumar has admitted that he has paid money. Who took money from Kumar? How was this money generated and where did it go? How much money was given and where was it used? Is this not corruption?
2. Former BJP Chief Minister Yeddyurappa has admitted that he has paid money. Who took money from Yeddyurappa? How was this money generated and where did it go? How much money was given and where it was used? Is this not corruption?
3. Are Kumar and Yeddyurappa telling the truth? Will Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah ask both to resign and register an FIR against them?
4. What is the conspiracy of ‘lighting a small spark to spread a wild fire’ being spoken about in the conversation between Ananth Kumar and Yeddyurappa? Whether the BJP leadership is hatching another ‘Machiavellian conspiracy’ to usurp power by any means and continue the conspiracy (in their words) up till the elections?
5. Is the BJP leadership using the agency of CBI/ED/Income Tax as mere pawns in their game of deception so that completely unfounded and fake allegations can be levelled against political opponents?