After BJP, Cong govt too faces contractors’ ire

Shyam Sundar Vattam | NT

Bengaluru: In a curious twist, the Contractors Association has emerged as a thorn in the side of the new Congress government too, similar to the role it played in exposing the corrupt practices of the previous BJP government.

While the Kempanna-led Karnataka contractors association dominated headlines in the past, it is the Contractors association of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), which has turned against the Congress government.

This has left the government grappling with a new set of challenges.The BBMP association has sought the intervention of former Chief Minister Kumaraswamy for the release of pending payments amounting to Rs 612 crore. Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar has denied allegations of seeking commission for the release of dues.

However, the contractors association has accused him of such practices and even demanded that he make a public statement on the matter before a revered religious institution.

What sparked off the standoff is Shivakumar’s stance on withholding the release of Rs 612 crore in pending bills until a thorough inquiry is conducted.

The association, in response, has threatened to stop ongoing projects unless their demands are immediately met.

Interactions have taken place between the Kempanna-led contractors association and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, along with Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar, aimed at resolving the payment issue. However, whether the promised funds were released remains undisclosed