Congress leader Moily’s tweet has political circles abuzz; Congress leader cries foul in Karnataka

BENGALURU: Differences over getting a ticket for Veerappa Moily's son Harsha Moily from Karkala assembly segment in Udupi district is said to be at the core of the controversy stoked by the Congress leader's tweet which left the party red-faced on Friday. Moily was upset as his son's candidature was said to have been opposed by PWD Minister H C Mahadevappa, sources said.

Though Moily and Mahadevappa have denied the reports, Congress insiders say the issue came up for discussion during the party leaders' meeting in the city earlier this week. In the meeting, Mahadevappa is said to have slighted Moily as he pushed for another candidate, a contractor.

Moily, however, has distanced himself from the controversial tweet and claimed that his account was hacked. Mahadevappa also denied the reports and said the high command is the final authority to decide the party candidates. He also rejected allegations of a nexus with the contractors.

However, sources do not rule out hacking as claimed by Moily. As such a tweet, coming from a senior Congress leader's Twitter handle will almost be like endorsing opposition against the Congress government in the state, the party's political opponents may have done it, sources said.

Also, many people in the political circles were surprised by the timing of the tweet. It came hours after BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa claimed that he will be giving breaking news on Friday. Yeddyurappa later released some documents to disprove Siddaramaiah's claims of development in the state.

The third theory doing the rounds in the political circles was that not many in Congress were happy with controversial businessman Ashok Kheny's induction into Congress. It may have been an attempt to draw the attention of the party high command to this issue ahead of elections, sources said. However, only a probe will throw more light on who is behind the tweet or if it was a hacker's job.

Hot on Twitter
@BSYBJP (BJP State President B S Yeddyurappa)
At last someone’s conscience in @INCKarnataka prodded him to speak up! @moilyv ji is right. We have been saying that @siddaramaiah is #10PercentCM. With contractors filling
PWD minister’s deep
pockets, state’s coffers & roads are in tatters
@ShobhaBJP (Shobha Karandlaje, BJP leader)
The illegal nexus between Congress ministers and the Contractors ruining Karnataka state. Senior Congress leader Sri Veerappa moili rightly recognised this. Karnataka
 seeks answer from
Mr. Rahul Gandhi