BJP offered HD Kumaraswamy money to form Karnataka govt, says Deve Gowda after I-T raids on JD(S) leaders

Bengaluru: In the wake of statewide I-T raids on JD(S) workers in Karnataka, former prime minister and JD(S) supremo HD Deve Gowda on Thursday alleged that the BJP had tried to persuade his son HD Kumaraswamy to form a government in Karnataka with their help before the May 2018 Assembly election. “The BJP had requested Kumaraswamy to come to Mumbai before the election, and promised to give big money for JD(S) electoral expenses. I was aware of this. Knowing fully well about my stand, Kumaraswamy took a hard decision. He rejected the offer by saying he would not go against the wishes of his father to join hands with the BJP,” Gowda said. [caption id=“attachment_4497559” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File photo of HD Deve Gowda. AFP[/caption] The JD(S) supremo’s statement comes in the wake of a statewide pre-dawn I-T crackdown on his partymen and others. The Congress and JD(S) leaders have alleged that the raids were politically motivated. The former prime minister alleged that the BJP was taking revenge against JD(S) leaders because they failed to form the government with the help of Kumaraswamy. “The I-T officials have been targeting DK Shivakumar. Now, they have targeted two parliamentary constituencies. The public works department office is being searched. They have stooped too such a low level,” he said. Gowda also alleged that BJP president Amit Shah wanted to meet him two years ago, but he refused. “He (Amit Shah) had sought an appointment to meet me at my residence two years ago. I said nothing doing,” he said.