IT raids: Ahmed Patel says BJP on unprecedented witch-hunt to win RS seat

Congress leader Ahmed Patel on Wednesday said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is on an unprecedented witch-hunt just to win one Rajya Sabha seat.

He took to Twitter and said, "BJP is on an unprecedented witch-hunt just to win one Rajya Sabha seat."

He further tweeted, "After using the state machinery and every other agency, these I-T raids show their utter desperation & frustration."

The Income Tax department on Wednesday morning conducted raids at Karnataka's Minister for Energy DK Shivakumar's residence and at Eagleton Golf resort where 44 Congress Gujarat MLAs are staying.

The raids took place at minister's residence in Kanakapura, Sadashivanagar and at rooms of Congress Party MLAs in the resort.

The raids started at 7 a.m. this morning and are still underway.

Shivakumar was in-charge of hospitality for all Congress Gujarat MLAs staying in Bengaluru.

After six of its MLAs joined BJP, the Congress sent its 44 Guajrat MLAs to Bengaluru and alleged the BJP was indulged in horse-trading.

Speaking to the reporters, Congress MLA Shailesh Parmar earlier said, "To ensure that BJP is not successful in its mission, 44 of us Congress MLAs are leaving from Gujarat for Bengaluru. To hide their failure, the saffron party is trying to make sure our MLAs resign by offering money and through police pressure."

Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi had accused the BJP in the state of horse-trading ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections scheduled for August 8.

The developments come after at least six Congress MLAs in Gujarat resigned from the party to join the BJP.