BJP contractors making false claims, fumes DKS

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Saturday claimed that the Opposition BJP had bribed certain contractors to level false corruption charges against him.

He was referring to the letter written to Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot by Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike Contractors Association, claiming Shivakumar, who is also the Bengaluru Development Minister, demanded 10 to 15 per cent commission from them for pending dues to be released.

The Deputy CM pointed out that Karnataka State Contractor’s Association (KSCA) president Kempanna had denied that no one in the current ruling dispensation had demanded bribes but took issue with “bills pending for the past 26 months”.

The State government says can only be released after the judicial probe in Kempanna’s 40 per cent commission claims against the previous BJP government is concluded.

“BJP-sponsored contractors are doing this. Now they are telling Kempanna has been given money. Poor fellow. He’s only the president (of KSCA) and he is fighting against whatever has been done (to the contractors),” Shivakumar said.

He insisted that BJP MLAs R Ashoka and Ashwath Narayan had been making allegations against him due to their own political frustrations.

“They are not able to digest our five guarantees. Women are getting Rs2,000. All their constituency people are getting free power. They are getting 10 kgs of rice. All of them (beneficiaries) are shouting at them (BJP) when you were in government, you could not give us. Now the Congress government is giving us (these things). So there is frustration. They want to deviate.

“Because in this month, everything except the Yuva Nidhi for the youths will be implemented,” he added.