Political Tensions: ED Raids Reveal Internal BJP Conflicts

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar attributed the ED raids on Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike to internal power struggles within the BJP. The raids were sparked by a complaint from a BJP leader. Meanwhile, scheduled meetings regarding SC/ST community issues within the Congress were postponed.

In a significant political development, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar stated on Wednesday that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids on Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike stemmed from internal conflicts within the BJP. He revealed that the raids resulted from a complaint by BJP leader and former BBMP Councillor N R Ramesh to the Anti-Corruption Bureau.

The ED conducted searches at the offices of Engineer-in-Chief B S Prahlad and other engineers concerning borewells and Reverse Osmosis plants in areas lacking Cauvery water connections, according to sources in the civic agency. Shivakumar emphasized that these actions were part of a larger feud within the BJP, where a BJP leader targeted his own party members due to electoral disputes.

In parallel, political maneuvers within the Congress also surfaced, with a dinner meeting concerning SC/ST community issues postponed. Home Minister G Parameshwara confirmed the postponement following direction from AICC General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala. The meeting, originally planned shortly after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's dinner with selected Dalit and ST Cabinet colleagues, had sparked considerable attention.

(With inputs from agencies.)