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The BJP's Karnataka unit on Tuesday lashed out against the Congress for accusing its party members of having links with actor Ragini Dwivedi, who is accused in the drug case that is being probed by Bengaluru's Central Crime Branch. The BJP tweeted pictures of actors Ragini Dwivedi and Sanjjana Galrani with Congress leaders DK Shivakumar and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and questioned what the pictures "meant".
"The BJP government is taking stringent action at every step in connection with the drug case. The Congress is trying to interfere with the investigation by deflecting the direction of the probe. Actors are seen with politicians from all parties and to link the party (BJP) with the case (drug case) is laughable. What do you think these pictures mean?" the BJP's tweet said.
ಮಾದಕ ವಸ್ತು ದಂಧೆ ಪ್ರಕರಣ ತನಿಖೆಯ ಹಂತದಲ್ಲಿದ್ದು ಬಿಜೆಪಿ ಸರ್ಕಾರ ಕಠಿಣ ನಿಲುವು ತಾಳಿದೆ, @INCKarnataka ವೃಥಾ ಆರೋಪ ಮಾಡಿ ತನಿಖೆಯ ದಿಕ್ಕು ತಪ್ಪಿಸುತ್ತಿದೆ.
— BJP Karnataka (@BJP4Karnataka) September 8, 2020
ನಟನಟಿಯರು ಎಲ್ಲಾ ಪಕ್ಷದವರೊಂದಿಗೆ ಕಾಣಿಸಿಕೊಳ್ಳುತ್ತಾರೆ. ಇದನ್ನೇ ಪಕ್ಷದ ಜೊತೆಗಿನ ಸಂಬಂಧ ಎಂದು ಬಿಂಬಿಸಿ ಆರೋಪಿಸುವುದು ಹಾಸ್ಯಾಸ್ಪದ.
ಈ ನಂಟಿನ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಏನು ಹೇಳುತ್ತೀರಿ? pic.twitter.com/43BEPIGwFK
This was after the Congress on September 4, released pictures of actor Ragini Dwivedi campaigning for turncoat MLA Narayana Gowda during the 2019 bye-elections in Mandya. Narayana Gowda defected from JD(S) to BJP and contested the KR Pete seat, which he won. The Congress had tweeted pictures of Narayana Gowda with Ragini Dwivedi and also with Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa's son Vijayendra. Actor Ragini had campaigned for Narayana Gowda during the bye-polls.
The Congress had also alleged that a senior BJP leader had tried to influence the drug case probe. "Actress Ragini Dwivedi was today arrested in a drugs related case. Media is saying that a senior BJP Minister from Bengaluru put pressure on the police to not arrest her! How can a fair probe happen if BJP leaders are involved? Why not have an investigation by CBI, which is monitored by the High Court (sic)?" Karnataka Congress Spokesperson Srivatsa had tweeted.
Actress Ragini Dwivedi was today arrested in a drugs related case
— Srivatsa (@srivatsayb) September 4, 2020
Media is saying that a senior BJP Minister from Bengaluru put pressure on the police to not arrest her!
How can a fair probe happen if BJP leaders are involved?
Why not an investigation by CBI & monitored by HC? pic.twitter.com/xBORjXRH2b
Soon after the pictures were released, Narayana Gowda said that "he had no knowledge of drug consumption".
"I did not know that she was consuming drugs. If I did, I would not have accepted her request to campaign for me," Narayana Gowda had said. On September 5, the BJP had released an official statement titled, "We disown Ragini Dwivedi".
"Ragini Dwivedi is not a member of the BJP. The BJP has not assigned her the responsibility of electioneering. She may have been involved in the campaign on her own," the BJP's statement had said.