Daijiworld Media Network - Haveri (SP)

Haveri, Dec 5: Congress candidate from Ranebennur constituency K B Koliwad, accused the BJP of precipitating the joint income tax and excise raid on his residence on Tuesday December 3 out of frustration at the prospects of defeat they have been staring at. He was addressing a press meet here on Wednesday December 4.

He said that the raiding officials had to go back without finding anything. "I cannot be coerced into submitting to such tactics employed by the BJP that is facing utter defeat. All the BJP ministers have planned this attack. But I have the support of my people. They felt they could make me to surrender by passing allegations and planting CCTV camera in front of my house. As long as I have popular support, no one can do anything to me," he said.

Koliwad said that the people of the constituency will teach a fitting lesson to the BJP for engineering this attack. He said that the raid had made him more popular and his margin of victory would be much more.

Hirekerur constituency bypoll in-charge and former minister H K Patil, accused home minister, Basavaraj Bomai, of calling the electoral officers and pressurising them to arrange the raid on Koliwad. He also charged the BJP of organizing raids on Koliwad's residence and those of some Congress functionaries in Hirekerur constituency. He said that all the officials had not signed the inquest during the raid and said this has given rise to suspicion.

Bommai denies

State home minister Basavaraj Bommai, speaking to media persons, said that the income tax officers along with electoral officials had organized this raid and he did not have any role in it.