BJP, Cong leaders spar over Karnataka Bitcoin scandal

Bengaluru, Nov 20 (IANS) The Bitcoin scandal blame game touched a new low in the state among Karnataka politicians as leading of ruling BJP and opposition Congress indulged in personal attacks.

Congress has decided to make 'Bitcoin Scandal' a poll issue and BJP seems to be determined not to lose the momentum and goodwill that has been created so far.

Sources in both the parties confirmed that there will be more bitter fights in the coming days.

The high commands of both parties have given a green signal for their party leaders to launch an all out attack on each other.

BJP blamed Opposition leader Siddaramaiaha's late son Rakesh Siddaramaiah for having links with Bitcoin scandal kingpin Srikrishna Ramesh a.k.a Sriki. Siddaramaiah burst out on BJP for dragging his dead son's name into the scandal and questioned if BJP leaders lost humanity and lacked dignity.

Araga Jnanendra, the Minister for Home made sensational charges in an interview to a private Kannada channel that kingpin was used by Congress party to rig youth Congress elections. State Congress President D.K. Shivakumar called Araga Jnanendra a mad person.

BJP while attacking Congress put up a photograph of Rakesh Siddaramaiah, late son of Siddaramaiah to be seen with Sunish Hegde and Hemanth Muddappa, close associates of Bitcoin scandal kingpin Sriki.

BJP chided Siddaramaiah for choosing to close cases during his tenure and the picture provided sufficient grounds to suggest his government's role.

Siddaramaiah poignantly reacted that, BJP do not have any shame or honour in bringing up his deceased son's name. "Rakesh is not alive. Is there any point in blaming him," he quipped.

He challenged the BJP government to initiate the judicial probe of the scandal including his tenure as well.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was seen with fugitive Neerav Modi at the World Economic Forum. How can BJP interpret this, he questioned.

He also said that, BJP state President Nalin Kumar Kateel knows the important leader behind the scandal who received Bitcoins to get accused Hemanth Muddappa released, when he was arrested along with Sriki.

Home Minister Araga Jnanendra charged Congress over taking the help of kingpin Sriki to rig Youth Congress elections in a private interview to a Kannada television channel.

"The software was hacked and programmed in such a way that votes casted would go to one particular candidate,a he claimed. If a complaint comes in this direction, the matter would be investigated, he added.

Congress state president Shivakumar called Araga Jnanendra a mad person who needed treatment at a mental hospital.

He also charged that the state Home Minister is acting like a school boy.

"At the time of elections to the Youth Congress, accused Sriki was lodged in jail. How can he rig the elections," he said.