Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is set to appear before a special court in Karnataka’s Bengaluru on Friday, responding to a defamation case initiated by the state’s BJP unit.
Early Friday morning, Gandhi was seen at Delhi airport, heading to Bengaluru for the court appearance. The defamation complaint alleges that advertisements in local newspapers and ‘false campaigning’ by the Congress party ahead of the 2023 state assembly elections tarnished the BJP’s image.
The case has been filed against Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy CM DK Shivakumar, and Rahul Gandhi. Previously, the court granted bail to both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, who appeared before it on June 1.
“I appeared before the judge as legally instructed by the court. I got the bail. A private complaint was filed against me, KPCC president, and Rahul Gandhi too. Rahul Gandhi will also appear in the court,” Siddaramaiah told ANI after securing bail.
Shivakumar described the case as ‘false,’ stating, “It is a false case from the Bharatiya Janata Party on me, Rahul Gandhi, and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.”
The defamation case charges come in the wake of a highly contentious assembly election in May 2023, where the Congress party achieved a sweeping victory, securing 135 seats in the 224-member Karnataka Assembly, thereby displacing the ruling BJP. The BJP won 66 seats, while the Janata Dal (Secular) obtained 19 seats.
Gandhi’s court appearance is anticipated to be a significant event, drawing considerable media attention and highlighting the ongoing political friction between the Congress and BJP in Karnataka.
