KPCC president D.K. Shivakumar on Thursday accused the BJP and the State government of using the police to intimidate the Congress candidate and party cadre in Rajarajeshwarinagar Assembly constituency. This follows a case being registered against Kusuma H., Congress candidate in the segment in Bengaluru.
The party would submit a complaint against the BJP to the Election Commission on the alleged misuse of the State machinery by the government, he said.
The police on Wednesday registered the case against Ms. Kusuma for allegedly causing disturbance to the police personnel on duty while filing nomination papers at the BBMP office. The FIR was registered against the candidate at the Kengeri police station for “deterring a public servant from performing duty”.
Addressing mediapersons at his residence on Thursday, Mr. Shivakumar said, “We have drone footage of what happened while filing nominations. Within 100 metres of the barricade, there were two BJP Ministers and five MLAs and there were leaders from all political parties. Why could the police not register cases against them?”
The KPCC chief alleged that the State government was hand in glove with the police and it was trying to intimidate Ms. Kusuma as she was new to politics. He demanded transfer of a circle inspector who registered a “false case” against the Congress candidate.
Mr. Shivakumar and Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah accompanied Ms. Kusuma during the filing of nomination papers on Wednesday.
BJP workers were “dancing around” the BBMP office during filing of nominations, Mr. Shivakumar said. “Did they not violate the model code of conduct? We will go to the Election Commission and expose the dirty politics of the BJP to the voters,” he added.
The polling will be held on November 3. The BJP has fielded Munirathna, who quit the Congress and joined the BJP last year, in the constituency.
