Siddaramaiah claims Cong MLA abducted, kept in wrongful confinement' by BJP

Bengaluru: The BJP has "abducted" and "kept in wrongful confinement" Karnataka Congress MLA Anand Singh by "using" the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Income Tax (I-T) department against him, the party alleged on the eve of the floor test for the Yeddyurappa government.

Speaking to reporters after participating in a demonstration by the Congress against Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala, former chief minister Siddaramaiah said all the 78 legislators of the party and two Independent MLAs were with them. However, he alleged that Singh had been "abducted".

"(Congress MLA) Anand Singh is abducted and kept in wrongful confinement by the BJP people using the ED and the I-T. This is what the BJP people are doing... Shamelessly doing. (BJP president) Amit Shah did the same kind of manipulation in all the states. They don't know the Constitution and the law. They don't know anything other than false propaganda," Siddaramaiah said.

Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said Singh was in Delhi and would be with the party once he is "freed".

"Singh is in Delhi. He is with us. Anand Singh is (at present) in captivity. Once he is free, he will be with us. He is being held hostage, but he is in touch," he said.

On Pratap Gowda Patil, who is also reported to be "missing", Siddaramaiah said he was with them.

"Pratap Gowda Patil came and signed on the paper (list of MLAs) that was submitted to the governor," he said.

Rejecting suggestions of any break in the ranks of the Congress and the JD(S) MLAs, Siddaramaiah maintained that all of them were together. Welcoming the Supreme Court ordering the floor test tomorrow, he said the BJP did not enjoy majority with only 104 seats.

"They have won 104 only. They don't have 112 seats, they don't have even one seat above 104 because two independents got elected with us. Congress (78), JDS (37) and two independents (independent+KPJP) and BSP 1...total 118. As Kumaraswamy has won two seats it stands at 117."

"All of us are together. We have an understanding. Despite this being reality, despite they (BJP) not asking for 15 days, the governor has given them 15 days to prove majority. What inference could one draw?" Siddaramaiah said.

"Governor has followed (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi and Amit Shah's instructions. If he had followed constitution, he would not have taken such decision," he said.

Targeting the Prime Minister and the BJP president, Siddaramaiah said, "Narendra Modi and Amit Shah are fossils of Hitler in this country. They don't have respect for constitution or democracy. It is a murder of democracy. It is a clear violation of constitution," he said.

He said never in the past had a chief minister been given 15 days to prove majority. Siddaramaiah also termed the Supreme Court verdict as "historic."