Karnataka: In Rs 20,000 crore asset case, HD Kumaraswamy smells a rat - a BSY plot!

Bengaluru: Janata Dal (S) state chief, H D Kumaraswamy on Wednesday accused his BJP counterpart, B.S. Yeddyurappa, of conspiring against his party and orchestrating the complaint filed with the Income Tax department claiming his family, including his father, JD(S) supremo, H D Deve Gowda, had amassed Rs 20,000 crore in unaccounted wealth.

Speaking to reporters, he said although the complainant, Venkatesh Gowda claimed to be a Congress worker, the party had denied he was a member. “Venkatesh Gowda was earlier with the Congress, but contested the last Assembly election as a Karnataka Janata Party candidate from Rajarajeshwarinagar This tells the whole story. The BJP and Yeddyurappa should not resort to such cowardly tactics. If they want to fight us, they should do so directly,'' he said.

Contending that both the Congress and BJP were getting nervous on seeing the JD(S) gaining ground, he deplored that they were now restoring to all sorts of tactics to curb its rise.

"There is a limit to witch- hunting and everyone has a limit to his tolerance. Even the BJP central leadership should realise this," he said, adding, " Let them locate all the Rs 20000 crore I have supposedly amassed, whether in India or abroad and I will keep just around Rs 300 to 400 crore to fight the elections. The rest the government can use to waive off farmers' loans!"

Recalling that when Deve Gowda became PM, a book titled "Gowda; The King of Corruption" was released and over 500 copies sent from Bengaluru for distribution among MPs in Delhi, he said this was not the first time his family had been targeted. "I am not concerned by these tactics to sow suspicion that we are involved in corruption. The truth will emerge," he asserted.