New Delhi: Election officers searched the personal helicopter wherein Congress state president D Ok Shivakumar and his household flew from Bengaluru to Dharmasthala in Dakshina Kannada district on Saturday. Shivakumar’s spouse Usha, her son, daughter, and son-in-legislation have been on their solution to the Dharmasthala Manjunatha Swamy temple to hope. As quickly because the helicopter touched down in Dharmasthala, election officers rushed to examine it. The pilot questioned the necessity to examine the helicopter after the Election Commission was knowledgeable that it was not a automobile on election obligation. “We have already given the letter (to the Election Commission),” the pilot was heard saying in a viral video. “We have to check the helicopter,” Election officers defined.
“That’s exactly what I’m saying. This is not a campaign flight. We’ve already provided a letter stating that this is a private charter. Anyway, check,” stated the pilot. In the state, which matches to the polls on May 10, the Model Code of Conduct is in impact.
#WATCH | Flying squad of ECI and officers performed a verify of the helicopter utilized by State Congress president DK Shivakumar after it reached the helipad at Dharmasthala in Dakshina Kannada. The celebration’s state chief was travelling within the chopper.
“Nothing wrong in that. They… pic.twitter.com/CTB2i9o0LR
— ANI (@ANI) April 22, 2023
The Election officers had additionally intercepted and checked Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai’s automotive when he was on his solution to a temple in Chikkaballapura district on March 31. Ever for the reason that Model Code of Conduct got here into impact, over Rs 253 crore value unaccounted money, gold, freebies, liquor and medicines have been seized in Karnataka, based on Election Commision officers.
Blame Game Intensifies Between Cong-BJP In Karnataka
The Congress on Saturday alleged Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai’s workplace is asking up the returning officers of varied districts to seek out defects within the functions filed by its candidates and rectify the errors in these of BJP nominees contesting the May 10 Assembly election. Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) chief D Ok Shivakumar demanded that the Election Commission ought to examine the matter and summon the decision particulars of the CMO to determine the reality.
“A major conspiracy is going on to reject the applications of the Congress candidates,” the celebration’s Karnataka unit chief stated in a press convention. He charged that some functions of the BJP candidates, as an example in Saundatti Yellamma constituency, are faulty however the CMO “directly called the officer and directed him to make changes”. “There is no need to elaborate how a big team is trying to reject (my) application. You all have been informed about it,” the Congress state chief stated.
Shivakumar stated he has filed the election type 10 occasions but “when they can do this to me then imagine what they can do to the ordinary candidates”. “Pressure is being built on all the returning officers. There is rampant misuse of power. The EC must take note of it. The CMO must be investigated,” the Kanakapura candidate demanded.
On Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje’s cost that the Congress was gathering ‘bribe’ from these candidates who’ve been given ticket to contest the Assembly election, Shivakumar retorted that his celebration was not gathering ’40 per cent fee’. “We are only raising building fund for our party. We are collecting Rs 2 lakh from general candidates and Rs 1 lakh from SC/ST candidates,” Shivakumar defined.
The opposition Congress is locked in a tussle with the ruling BJP to wrest energy in Karnataka with the JD(S) additionally an essential participant as polling is simply weeks away. Karnataka will vote in a single section on May 10 and the outcomes will probably be declared on May 13.
