Graft allegations hurting state image, says Rayareddy

NT Correspondent

Koppal / Bengaluru: Disgruntled MLAs and corruption allegations have become a formidable two-headed monster for the Congress government to fight as Yelburga lawmaker Basavaraja Rayareddy raised concerns about Karnataka earning a reputation as a graft-ridden state.

The MLA made the comments on the sidelines of Shravana Sambhrama, a party meeting, in Koppal city on Saturday.

On the occasion, he demanded that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah act against corruption allegations to rescue the reputation of the state.

The MLA was referring to the letter written to Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot by Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Contractors Association a few days prior, claiming DK Shivakumar, who is also the Bengaluru Development Minister, demanded 10 to 15 per cent commission from the contractors for the pending dues to be released.

“There are allegations of commission, be it 15 per cent, 20 per cent or 40 per cent. Karnataka is earning a brand name as a corrupt state. I’m also very worried,” Rayareddy said.

“I have also spoken to the honourable chief minister that this corrupt state stain must be removed. Let the chief minister call a meeting on this. Otherwise, we (Congress) will level allegations against them (BJP) and they’ll return the favour. This is very bad. Karnataka should not get a bad name. If the chief minister takes steps to put an end to this, then in the coming days we will get rid of this reputation. This is my opinion,” he added.

The MLA also suggested that the meeting include the Opposition parties BJP and JD(S).

“Let him also invite the Opposition to the meet. We are getting a bad name,” he said.

Missed ministry this time Rayareddy is perceived as a Siddaramaiah loyalist and had served as the Higher Education Minister in the latter’s first term. However, he has been unhappy since he didn’t land a ministry this time around.

In fact, he was one of the co-signatories in the letter written by Aland MLA BR Patil to Siddaramaiah back in July. The legislators had been unhappy about ministers allegedly being unresponsive to them.

This was followed by Deputy CM DK Shivakumar claiming they had diverted money to the five guarantees and didn’t have funds for local infrastructure projects in constituencies, adding that the same would be provided later.