Ravi: DK Shivakumar jailed for freedom fight?

BENGALURU: The BJP and Congress indulged in a slanging match over KPCC president DK Shivakumar on Sunday. Triggering the slugfest, BJP’s newly-appointed national General Secretary C T Ravi asked whether KPCC president D K Shivakumar went to prison for taking part in the National Freedom Movement.

Hitting back at Ravi, Congress working president Eshwar Khandre said that Shivakumar went to prison as a martyr after he shielded MLAs from Gujarat during the election of Congress senior leader Ahmed Patel to the Rajya Sabha. “BJP is indulging in politics of fear, blackmail and revenge against its opponents. They don’t have leaders of their own, and that is why they are poaching from the Congress.

Let Ravi introspect before talking about the Congress,” he said. “The BJP raided Shivakumar even when the bypolls are on and registered an FIR against Congress candidate from the RR Nagar constituency H Kusuma,” Khandre said. Referring to Shivakumar, BJP state president Nalin Kumar Kateel said, “Goondagiri of those who have come from Kanakapura will not work.

The BJP will hear sweet news from RR Nagar (where the bypoll is being held).” Khandre retorted, saying, “Last time, the BJP said that Munirathna (BJP’s RR Nagar candidate) indulged in goondagiri and filed a case against him alleging electoral malpractice. Now that he has joined the BJP from Congress because of Operation Lotus, have they washed him clean? It is the BJP that is indulging in goondagiri and their true colours are being exposed.”