Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa and Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai are closely monitoring the police investigation into the drugs case while party leaders sought to brush aside the BJP’s ties to Kannada actor Ragini Dwivedi. She had campaigned for the BJP during the 2019 bypolls to the Assembly.

When questioned by reporters in Mysuru on Saturday, Minister for Co-operation S.T. Somashekar denied suggestions that her arrest has caused embarrassment to the party. “Why should the party be embarrassed? Did the party tell her to do it (alleged involvement with drugs)?”

Asserting that those involved in the drug menace must be brought to book irrespective of their social and political standing, BJP State president Nalin Kumar Kateel on Saturday said the party would walk the extra mile to supplement the government’s efforts in the fight against the drug mafia. In a release, Mr. Kateel said the BJP is committed to see that Karnataka becomes drug-free.

“BJP is closely watching the on-going probe into the drug mafia. The scale, the speed, the grit, the determination and the meticulousness with which the police is dealing with this dangerous racket is laudable,” he said.

“This menace must be eliminated, lock, stock and barrel. Those involved in this dirty and dangerous menace must be brought to book, irrespective of their social and political standing, connections and contacts with the high and mighty,” he said.

He complimented Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa and Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai for their “no-nonsense and uncompromising approach” in handling this episode. “BJP welcomes Home Minister’s statement that police has been given free hand to deal with this issue. We want this probe into the drug mafia to reach its logical end. There is no question of resting till we achieve a decisive victory in this battle against drugs,” he said.