H D Deve Gowda files 6 complaints against Siddaramaiah government

BENGALURU: Former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda met Chief Election Commissioner Om Prakash Rawat on Thursday demanding fair assembly elections in Karnataka. The JD(S) patriarch submitted a memorandum with six complaints against the Siddaramaiah government for violation of the model code of conduct.

In his letter to CEC Rawat and Karnataka Election Commission CEO Sanjiv Kumar, Deve Gowda alleged that the government machinery was being misused. "The election process has to be fair, but I am suspicious of it. The state government is transferring honest and upright officials, the Home department has deteriorated," Deve Gowda told reporters at the Election Commission office after the meeting. The former PM questioned the sudden disappearance of the office of 'Super Home Minister Kempaiah' from Vidhana Soudha.

Kempaiah, the adviser to the Home minister, is said to have stopped visiting his office in Vidhana Soudha after the Election Commission sought information on the nature of his appointment and work vide a letter to State Chief Secretary.

Deve Gowda has made six allegations against the government, including misuse of staff at Chief Minister's office and officials to collect money for elections, preferential posting of officials in districts of Mandya, Mysuru, Ramanagara, Hassan (regions where the Congress is in a direct electoral face-off with JDS), misuse of Home department, police vehicles transporting cash illegally— all in alleged violation of the model code of conduct.

"I have appraised the CEC of how Kempaiah works in the Home department. I have also made a submission on how the state government is selectively transferring Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police in districts," Gowda said.