Karnataka Congress President DK Shivakumar said that his party would come to power in the state. (file)
Bengaluru:
Karnataka Congress President DK Shivakumar asked Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and ministers to prepare for the assembly polls and said that his party would come to power and clean Vidhana Soudha with ganjala (cow urine). It was polluted by corruption during BJP rule.
Besides, targeting the ruling BJP and Mr. Bommai for leveling “false allegations” against the previous Congress government headed by him, Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah asked a Supreme Court judge-led commission of inquiry to investigate both the tenures of the chief minister. Challenged to form a new government, if his government dares.
“Around 40-45 days are left for your government, pack your tents and whatever collection is left and go. We will come with Dettol to clean Vidhana Soudha. I have some ganjala for purification There is also (cow urine)… People want to get rid of this evil government,” Mr. Shivakumar said.
Speaking to reporters, he said, “Bommai, better, tell all you ministers to pack quickly.” The Congress leaders’ attack on the BJP government came a day after the ruling party filed a complaint with the Lokayukta against Siddaramaiah and the Congress alleging irregularities in ‘TenderSure’ projects during their tenure.
State Health Minister K Sudhakar, citing the CAG report, alleged that financial irregularities to the tune of Rs 35,000 crore had taken place under the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government.
Countering Mr. Sudhakar’s allegations, Mr. Shivakumar asked what the BJP has been doing for the past 3.5 years. “They were in power and should have ordered an inquiry and got it investigated.” He said that BJP has a ‘brand’ of 40 per cent commission and to hide it, they are trying to make baseless allegations against Congress.
Questioning why BJP old-timers are not speaking up or reacting to allegations of corruption, and why the ruling party is using someone like Mr. Sudhakar, who had defected from the Congress, he said, “You (BJP) are not able to speak to one person from your party. There are 32 groups in your party, I have made a list… and you speak about us.”
Meanwhile, Siddaramaiah hit back at Mr. Bommai and the BJP for leveling corruption charges against the previous Congress government headed by him, asking a Supreme Court judge-headed commission into alleged scams and corruption charges since 2013. demanded investigation.
“Allegations of 40 per cent commission, PSI recruitment and COVID scam – all the allegations we have made, be clubbed with the allegations they (BJP) are making against us now, and together they will get an inquiry be handed over to the Commission.” Presided over by a Judge of the Supreme Court. If they have guts, let them do it,” he challenged.
Siddaramaiah hit out at minister Sudhakar, saying, “He was a Congress MLA during our government. Why was he silent?” BJP is panicking due to the fear of defeat in the elections and is making baseless allegations. The Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) was abolished by the High Court, not by the BJP government. “We have not closed the Lokayukta, as the BJP is alleging,” he said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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