The Congress on Tuesday said it was "convinced" that the latest ED action on Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah was an act of political vendetta against a democratically elected government.

The central agency has registered a money-laundering case against Siddaramaiah in connection with the alleged Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) scam.

In Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah questioned how a money-laundering case had been launched when compensatory plots were given in lieu of land acquired by MUDA from several people, including his wife. The chief minister’s contention was backed by Congress spokesman and senior lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who said no question of money laundering arises according to the definition of the word in the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

Briefing mediapersons in Delhi along with Congress communications in-charge Jairam Ramesh, Singhvi said: "The main intent is to destabilise an Opposition-ruled state. The BJP has now brought in a central agency to create instability for an elected government and an elected CM."

Ramesh said: "This is the politics of vengeance, harassment.... The mandate the Karnataka government got from the people for five years, we will complete it and all the guarantees we promised will be fulfilled."