Congress distributing cookers to lure voters in Bangalore Rural: JD(S) leader Kumaraswamy

Kumaraswamy alleged that already one round of distribution of allurements like cookers and sarees, among other things, had been completed.

Bengaluru: Charging the Congress with distributing cookers to lure voters in Bangalore Rural Lok Sabha segment, JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy on Tuesday demanded deployment of paramilitary forces in the constituency to ensure fair election.

Targeting the Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and his brother D K Suresh, who is the incumbent MP and Congress candidate from the seat, he urged the Election Commission to remove Deputy Commissioner, Superintendent of Police and CEO (Zilla Panchayat) in the constituency, accusing them of lacking the 'guts' to conduct fair election.

He alleged that already one round of distribution of allurements like cookers and sarees among other things had been completed.

"In this election in Bangalore Rural, there is misuse of power on one side, on the other side there is muscle power and money power. They (Congress) want to win the election with the help of officials. I want to warn officials of the state," the State JD(S) President said.

Speaking to reporters, he asked, if Congress had really worked for the poor and if they had confidence that the people have liked their programmes in the last one year, "why did they have to conduct an election like this?" He also showed pictures and videos of cookers allegedly stocked to be distributed by Congress to lure voters.

"Is there an election commission in this state? Are there DC and SP? What is the election commission doing? After the announcement of the election what's going on in the Bangalore Rural Parliamentary segment? I demand the Chief Election Commissioner to look into this," he added.

Noted cardiac surgeon C N Manjunath, who is the son-in-law of former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, is the BJP candidate in this Vokkaliga-dominated segment, as per the alliance arrangement between the two parties.

Stating that he brought to the notice of the election officials in Karnataka about what is going on in Bangalore Rural, the former CM said, "these are pictures of cookers to be distributed for voters...even yesterday, they have loaded two vehicles, and more than four lakh cookers have been distributed after election dates were announced."

Still, cookers are being distributed, he said.

"Yesterday night two lakh ten thousand cookers were loaded (to a vehicle) to be sent for distribution. This is the state of elections in Karnataka ...the day before our JD(S) workers have caught two vehicles with cookers in Maralavadi hobli and informed officials."

Kumaraswamy, showing pictures of the godown where cookers are allegedly stored, said he brought the issue to the notice of the Chief Electoral Officer in Karnataka, who directed Ramanagara Deputy Commissioner (DC) to look into it. The DC referred the matter to the Commercial Tax department.

However, on their visit to the spot, officials of the Department claimed they found no such activity there, he said.

"But the truth is it is still going on and today also the cookers are being manufactured for this purpose. The DK brothers (Shivakumar and Suresh) have directed (manufacturers) to send the cooker boxes without any labelling and after taking the delivery they will stick the labels with their photos at a different place," Kumaraswamy said, and alleged that the the manufacturing is being done in Harohalli industrial area.

Warning officials and Congress leaders, Kumaraswamy said, if these activities are not stopped immediately, he will call on JD(S) workers to set fire to places where cookers are stocked to be distributed among voters. "Let me see who will book the case," he challenged.