Cheluvarayaswamy accuses HDK of collecting ₹1,000 cr. from the steel industry to fund elections; JD(S) calls it a ploy to divert attention from ‘tax fraud’

A file image of N. Cheluvarayaswamy | Photo Credit: K. Murali Kumar

Minister of Agriculture N. Cheluvarayaswamy on Sunday (November 10, 2024), accused Heavy Industries and Steel Minister HD Kumaraswamy of collecting Rs 1,000 crore from steel industries across the country to fund Maharashtra and Jharkhand elections except for the Channapatna by-election where his son, Nikhil. Kumaraswamy, you step in.

After Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused the Congress government of collecting Rs 700 crore from tax sources to finance the Maharashtra elections, it was Mr. Cheluvarayaswamy.

“The BJP and its allies are desperate to win the election by any means and are distributing huge sums of money. I have received information from those working in steel companies about Mr. Kumaraswamy collecting more than Rs 1,000 crore. I urge the ED and the IT Department to investigate further he started taking steps against Mr. Kumaraswamy, the Election Commission must also be careful,” he said.

Meanwhile, former Minister and JD(S) leader CS Puttaraju called Mr. Cheluvarayaswamy as an attempt to divert public attention from the alleged collection of funds by the Congress from tax sources. Speaking to journalists in Mandya he said: “The Minister of Agriculture must pay attention to his language. In fact, the officials of the Department of Agriculture wrote to the Governor raising the issue of defrauding the Minister. He thinks he can emerge as a great leader if he speaks badly of (JD-S leaders) HD Deve Gowda or Mr. Kumaraswamy.”