Bengaluru, Oct 1 : Senior BJP leader R. Ashoka on Tuesday said that the names of family members should not be dragged into controversies and questioned the Congress leaders for adding the name of former Prime Minister Deve Gowda's daughter-in-law to the alleged sex video scandal.

Taking a dig at the Congress party for criticising the BJP for attacking Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's wife, Ashoka, who is the Leader for Opposition (LoP) in the Karnataka Assembly, said, 'I have seen the letter written by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's wife Parvathy. No one should drag the names of family members for no reason. But the Congress leaders had dragged the name of Bhavani Revanna. Was it right on their part'?

Bhavani Revanna is the mother of former MP Prajwal Revanna, a prime accused in the sex video scandal. She is out on bail in the kidnap case linked to the scandal. The authorities had challenged her bail petition in the Supreme Court.

Ashoka stated, "The act of returning the sites has been much delayed. All these days, there was absolutely nothing wrong from their side but when the MUDA scam came out, the sites were returned. Now, they have taken a U-turn and returned sites. The people of the state have got a clear picture of everything."

"The case in the MUDA scam was not lodged by the political parties. The reports were published in the media primarily. If you had not made any mistake, why did you return the sites? You should have pursued a legal battle by keeping the allotted sites," Ashoka chided.

"The BJP party will continue the struggle and agitation against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Because of our agitation, the Valmiki Tribal Welfare Board scam is coming to a logical end. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at least now will have to tender resignation to his post,' he stated.

"If CM Siddaramaiah chooses not to quit his post, the BJP would take up statewide protests," Ashoka warned.

In a surprising development, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's wife, Parvathy, who is named as the second accused in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) scam, returned the 14 sites allotted back to the MUDA on Monday She made a written submission to the MUDA and stated that she is submitting the return of 14 plots allotted in Vijayanagar Phase 3 and 4 in lieu of compensation for the use of 3 acres 16 gunte lands by the Authority without land acquisition in Survey No. 464 of Name village, Mysuru.

She has also requested the media and political leaders not to drag the women from political families who are staying away from politics for political rivalry and cause damage to their dignity and reputation.

/IANS