Election Commission asks Siddaramaiah’s close associate Kempaiah to leave office

Former prime minister HD Deve Gowda had complained to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Om Prakash Rawat accusing Kempaiah of misusing government machinery in the elections.

Former IPS officer Kempaiah, CM Siddaramaiah's close associate and political advisor to the Home Minister, has been asked to leave office by Election Commission for allegedly violating the model code of conduct.

The Chief Election Officer of Karnataka Sanjay Kumar wrote to the Election Commission of India stating that CM Siddaramaiah's close associate and political advisor to the Home Minister - Kempaiah, violated the model code of conduct by continuing to perform his duties.

When Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Om Prakash Rawat was on a visit to Bengaluru to review preparedness for the Assembly elections, former prime minister HD Deve Gowda had complained to CEC accusing Kempaiah of misusing government machinery in the elections.

Also, incumbent MLA of Chamundeshwari constituency and JD(S) leader GT Devegowda had written to the Election Commission, asking him to remove Kempaiah, as he was a "hindrance to holding free and fair Assembly polls". He had also alleged that CM Siddharamaiah and Kempaiah were using the police to threaten JD(S) workers.