After an controversial ‘unauthorised’ tweet about nexus of “contractors” determining selection process for upcoming state elections was posted by M Veerappa Moily’s Twitter account, the state Congress has now issued a show cause notice to Moily’s son Harsha Moily seeking an explanation in seven days.

The controversy began after an ‘unauthorised’ tweet from Moily’s Twitter handle slammed the Congress Party saying, “INC need (sic) to solve money in politics. We can’t afford to have contractors and their nexus with the state PWD minister determine how candidates are selected for the upcoming assembly elections.”

Assembly elections are scheduled for May this year in Karnataka.

The Congress leader has, however, denied posting it, saying “I have not done it”.  “That Twitter (handle) is not in my control. It’s not (an) appropriate (tweet). I’m withdrawing (it),” said Moily, who heads the manifesto committee for the assembly polls.

Incidentally, the same tweet was posted on the twitter handle of Harsha too. This tweet tagged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also. Both the tweetes were later deleted.

The tweet was allegedly targeted at PWD minister H C Mahadevappa, a trusted aide of Siddaramaiah.

The tweet row has erupted amid reports that Moily, a former chief minister, was unhappy over discouraging remarks allegedly made by Mahadevappa during a screening panel meeting about giving party ticket to his son, Harsha Moily, to contest the Assembly polls from Karkala.

As per media reports, when asked if his Twitter account was hacked, Moily said, “I don’t say that but even then it’s not proper.”

“It’s unfortunate. It shouldn’t have come. I haven’t done it. Somebody else has done it. I don’t want to go public on party matters.”

Asked whether any action would be initiated against those who played “mischief” with his twitter handle, Moily said he didn’t want to make any further statements. “Forget the matter.”

Reacting to the controversy, Mahadevappa said he didn’t have any information about it.

“I don’t know social media, hence I don’t know about tweets. Someone told me about such atweet, after that he (Moily) has said that he has not tweeted, this is what I know….rest you have to ask him,” he added.

However, the BJP seized the opportunity and attacked Congress, state BJP president B S Yeddyurappa said Moily’s tweet validates his party’s stand that Siddaramaiah is “a 10 per cent CM”.

The comment relates to a charge made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a rally in the state recently, where he had called the Siddaramaiah dispensation a “10 per cent commission government.”

Yeddyurappa called the tweet as a message from Moily’s “conscience” .

“At last someone’s conscience in @INCKarnataka proddedhim to speak up! @moilyv ji is right. We have been saying that @siddaramaiah is 10 percent CM,” Yeddyurappa said.

“With contractors filling PWD min’s deep pockets, state’s coffers & roads are in tatters. Congress veteran’s view validates our point,” Yeddyurappa tweeted.

(with agency inputs)