Bribe tape against BJP fake, says Congress lawmaker ahead of Kumaraswamy meet with Sonia, Rahul

Congress MLA Shivaram Hebbar said an audio clip released by his party to allege that the BJP reached out to him for cross-voting during floor test in the Karnataka assembly was fake. He said his wife did not receive any call from BJP.

Congress legislator Shivaram Hebbar said on Monday an audio clip released by his party to allege that the BJP reached out to him for cross-voting during the floor test in the Karnataka assembly was “fake” ahead of a meeting between Janata Dal (Secular) leader HD Kumaraswamy and Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi.

Hebbar questioned the authenticity of the audio clip in a Facebook post in Kanadda, saying his wife did not receive any call from the Bharatiya Janata Party. “This is not my wife’s voice and she has not received any such calls. The audio tape is fake. I condemn it,” he wrote.

The Congress had released three audio tapes in the run-up to the floor test, claiming BJP leaders were trying to “poach” party’s MLAs by offering “blandishments” so that the BS Yeddyurappa government is saved.

One of the audio tapes released by the party allegedly recorded a conversation between Hebbar’s wife and BJP leaders, who allegedly offered money and ministerial post to woo him to vote for the BJP.

The May 12 Karnataka assembly polls threw up a hung assembly and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) emerged as the single largest party with 104 seats but eight short of a majority. Governor Vajubhai Vala invited the BJP to form the government and BS Yeddyurappa was sworn in as chief minister.

The Congress alleged that the BJP was indulging in horse-trading as the floor test approached and released the audio tapes to back their charges.

Yeddyurappa’s son BY Vijayendra and his close associate B J Puttuswamy are heard in the audio tape speaking purportedly to Hebbar’s wife, offering money and ministerial position to her husband if he cross-voted in favour of the BJP during the floor test.

Vijayendra and Puttuswamy are heard allegedly offering Rs 15 crore for cross-voting but without a ministerial berth, or Rs 5 crore with a cabinet berth. Puttuswamy is also heard allegedly saying that cases against the wife and the son, who are facing a trial in a mining scam, would be cleared.

Yeddyurappa announced his decision to quit as chief minister without facing the floor test on May 19 realising that he did not have the numbers.

“Facebook post of Congress MLA Shivram Hebbar from Yellapur, in which he denies his wife ever getting a call from BJP, calls it a fake audio clip... Shame on Congress for brazenly lying, spreading mis-information and media channels for lapping it up. It is all over regional paper,” BJP’s national information and technology cell head Amit Malviya tweeted.

‘No resentments’

Kumaraswamy will meet Rahul and Sonia in New Delhi amid reports of resentment over the alliance and allocation of ministerial berths among the two parties, which formed an alliance after the elections in Karnataka.

Kumaraswamy, who will take an oath of office on May 23, refuted the reports of any resentment.

“Who told you? This is all bogus and fake news. This is not true,” Kumaraswamy was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

Kumaraswamy on Sunday dismissed reports his party was is working out a power-sharing formula with the Congress to head the government in Karnataka for 30 months each. He also denied reports that the chief ministership would be rotated between the Congress and JD(S) or that any discussion had taken place on portfolio allocation.

Senior Congress leaders, including Ghulam Nabi Azad, Ashok Gehlot and KC Venugopal, briefed party president Rahul Gandhi about the latest political developments in Karnataka, ahead of the crucial deliberations on the power-sharing arrangement with Kumaraswamy.

Senior Congress leaders, including Ghulam Nabi Azad (pictured), Ashok Gehlot and KC Venugopal, briefed party president Rahul Gandhi about the latest political developments in Karnataka, ahead of the crucial deliberations on the power-sharing arrangement with Kumaraswamy. (HT/Arijit Sen)
There are already some demands within the local Congress leadership that the deputy chief ministership should be given to a person from northern Karnataka as Kumaraswamy has won from south Karnataka, where JD(S) got the maximum number of seats.

Also, to ensure a caste balance, there is a demand for a Lingayat to be made deputy CM. Congress has 16 Lingayat MLAs and JD(S) four.

The All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha, whose president is senior Congress MLA Shamnur Shiva Shankrappa, has written to Kumaraswamy demanding that a Lingayat is made the deputy chief minister and adequate representation be given to the community in the new cabinet.

While Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President G Parameshwara, a Dalit, is being considered by the party as its likely deputy chief minister, other senior Lingayat leaders such as HK Patil and MB Patil from north Karnataka are also eyeing the post.

The Congress is also believed to be asking for 20 of the maximum 34 ministerial berths possible, including the deputy chief ministership. Officially though, both parties maintain the stance that negotiations have not yet started and will be conducted smoothly.

‘Sacrifices have to be made’

Congress leader Ramalinga Reddy said his party was “100% happy” being in an alliance with the JD(S).

“There is a give and take policy. Even in Bengaluru’s Municipal Corporation, the alliance is functioning smoothly for three years,” Reddy was quoted as saying by ANI on reports of Congress rift with JD(S).

“Of course, some people in both parties will have to sacrifice, as all cannot become ministers,” he added.

The May 12 Karnataka assembly polls threw up a hung assembly and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) emerging as the single largest party with 104 seats. The Congress, which emerged as the second largest party, forged an alliance with the JD(S) to form a government in the state.

BJP leader BS Yeddyurappa formed the government but resigned as the chief minister on Saturday without facing the floor test in the state assembly as his party fell short of numbers. Kumaraswamy met governor Vajubhai Vala and said he had been invited to form the government.

Karnataka Congress leaders Siddaramaiah, DK Shivakumar and G Parameshwara are also in Delhi to discuss modalities related to government formation with the party high command.

Shivakumar said earlier in the day that the Congress party and the JD(S) had to sort out their differences for the sake of forming a secular government in Karnataka. He admitted that the Congress and the JD(S) were at loggerheads before the Karnataka assembly polls.

“Rahul Gandhi has taken a decision that there should be a secular government here. That is what the entire country needs and that is why we have taken this stand (alliance with JD(S)). I had to swallow all this bitterness since this is my duty,” Shivakumar said.

Shivakumar and Kumaraswamy, who have been sworn rivals, both fighting to be recognised as the tallest leader of the Vokkaliga community from which they hail, came together to ensure the defeat of the BJP government.

“In politics, I have been fighting against the Gowdas since 1985. In the last parliamentary election and assembly election against them, I won against his son, I won against his daughter-in-law. A lot of politics have been played. Lots of cases were also registered. But in the interests of the nation and party, we need a secular government in Karnataka,” he added.

“Sometimes, individuality doesn’t count here. Individuality is not important. Whatever collective or major decisions are taken, one man may like or the other man may not like. I also gave consent for the formation of this government,” Shivakumar said when asked whether he was happy on securing an alliance with the JD(S).