With the 2018 Assembly Elections months away, the ruling Congress and the Opposition BJP in Karnataka are accusing each other of tapping phones of top leaders.

Hitting out at the BJP-led Union government, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said, “It is not the state government, but the Centre that is tapping phones.”

The CM added, “Tapping phones of opposition party leaders is something our government has never done and will never do. But the Centre has been tapping our phones, which the state BJP is not aware of. We haven’t played it up, because it’s a small thing.”

Echoing the CM’s version, Karnataka Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy said the Centre was snooping on the state government.

“It’s true that the phones of 30-35 Congress leaders are being tapped. It’s been happening for many days,” Reddy said.