Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Jun 24: The government appears to be dragging its feet on the promise made in the assembly about the formation of a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the veracity of an allegation made by former chief minister of Karnataka, B S Yeddyurappa, against assembly speaker, Ramesh Kumar. The decision to form a SIT was taken as an audio said to contain conversation between Yeddyurappa and a JD(S) leader reportedly contained Yeddyurappa's claim that the assembly speaker has been taken to his side by offering money.

Before the tabling of the budget this year, chief minister, H D Kumaraswamy, had accused the BJP of trying to topple the government through Operation Lotus, when addressing the media. It was said that Yeddyurappa had met Sharanu Gowda, son of JD(S) MLA, Nagana Gowda,with the aim of luring Nagana Gowda to his side. In the conversation recorded on audio, Yeddyurappa could be heard telling Sharanu Gowda that there would not be any problem in changing the party as BJP had bought the assembly speaker.

Ramesh Kumar, taking exception to this claim, had expressed the view that a SIT should be formed and a report about the finding should be tabled within 15 days. This issue was discussed in the assembly after which the chief minister promised to form a SIT to investigate the entire issue. But the SIT has not been formed so far. Sources said that other than preliminary discussions on who should investigate the issue, the police, or other officials, no further development has taken place.

Thereafter, the Congress and JD(S) began bickering and the issue was neglected. But it is not yet known why the assembly speaker, Ramesh Kumar, and the government have not been evincing interest in forming the SIT and leading the case to its logical conclusion.