Karnataka, Centre on collision course?

Bengaluru: With less than a week to go before critical polls in south Karnataka where the Congress-Janata Dal(S) coalition is facing a challenge from within, a confrontation between the JD(S)-Congress coalition government and the Income Tax department which functions under the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre, is brewing.    

The tussle bears a striking similarity to the time when West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee took on the CBI two and a half months ago.  There have been recurring IT raids  on political bigwigs of the ruling coalition and their associates in Karnataka with matters coming to a head after IT raids against contractors close to leaders of the coalition and also properties of a minister in the state government in March.

Alleging vindictive action by the BJP ahead of the polls, Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, former CM Siddaramaiah and KPCC president, Dinesh Gundurao landed before the IT department office on March 20 to register their protest. The principal chief commissioner of the IT department, B.R. Balakrishnan responded by getting a FIR registered against many leaders for obstructing officials from carrying out their duty.

Mr Balakrishnan first shot off a letter on March 30 to the state chief electoral officer Sanjeev Kumar seeking action against all those involved in the protest including CM, Mr. Kumaraswamy. The police reportedly made out an FIR but named junior leaders of the JD (S) and Congress and none of the bigwigs.  

Dissatisfied with the state government's attempt to brush the case under the carpet, Mr Balakrishnan sent one more letter on April 5, sources in the government said. This time, he sought criminal action against all including Mr Kumaraswamy and said they had tried to prevent his department employees from discharging their duty and held a dharna without permission besides intimidating the employees. 

“Security personnel in the apartment complex informed me about the raid. By the time I reached home, EC officers had arrived. The officers have not found anything. They have issued notice to me to attend an inquiry on the 25th of this month.” Each IT raid will only increase Nikhil’s vote share by 20000 to 50,000. None can stop Nikhil's victory,” he said.