Hours before Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Hubballi to address a political rally, the Congress sought answers to eight State-specific questions, including the source of ₹200 crore allegedly being used by the Bharatiya Janata Party for ‘Operation Kamala’.
However, Mr. Modi, who began the party’s poll campaign in the State, chose to remain silent.
Although the Prime Minister mentioned about the infighting in the coalition government, including a brawl between two legislators in a resort, and said that Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy had become a ‘punching bag’ for all, he did not utter a word on the audio clip which has put the BJP in the dock.
Earlier, asking the Prime Minister whether he would take unethical action to attain power, the Congress questioned Mr. Modi’s silence on illegitimate control over judiciary — the conversations about these that are in the clip released by Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy.
“Let alone taking action, you have not even condemned your leader [Mr. Yeddyurappa],” the party said.
The questions also included the delay in release of about ₹2,000 crore towards MNREGA works taken up in the State and the meagre allocation to undertake drought relief measures.
Questioning how the Union government would justify sidelining HAL in the Rafale deal, the Congress took exception to not being acknowledged for its contribution towards setting up an Indian Institute of Technology in Dharwad.