Congress has demanded BS Yediyurappa's resignation alleging corruption in the BJP-led state government.
Alleging corruption in the BJP-led Karnataka government after a sting operation by a Kannada TV channel, the Congress has demanded the resignation of Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa. BJP's Karnataka state unit has denied these allegations.
The allegations of corruption refer to demands for bribe allegedly by Mr Yediyurappa's son, son-in-law and grandson in a flat construction project by city's development agency BDA. According to the Congress, there are WhatsApp chats that are evidence of bribe allegedly being sought from the contractor and of the bribe given in cash and through direct transfers in bank accounts.
"Chief Minister Yediyurappa and his family have been caught taking a bribe in the alleged Rs 666-crore BDA construction project scam. We demand a time-bound probe by a sitting Supreme Court judge or by the Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court... Chief Minister Yediyurappa must resign or should be sacked by the BJP to ensure fairness in the investigation," former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said in a series of tweets.
"BY Vijayendra seems to have demanded an additional Rs 17 crore from the contractor to issue work order saying that previously paid amount has not reached him. Contractor transfers Rs 7.4 crore directly to the account of Shashidar Maradi. The balance amount was asked to be paid to son-in-law's Madura Estate in Hubli... Later, this black money was routed through seven shell companies registered in different states and finally back," Mr Siddaramaiah said.
In a video tweet detailing "the chronology" of alleged collusion and bribery in BDA project, Congress' Randeep Singh Surjewala, recently promoted as the part's General Secretary, said the BJP government is engulfed in corruption as "dented-tainted leaders rule the roost", and also demanded the Chief Minister's resignation.
There have been allegations of Mr Vijayendra playing a larger role in backroom decisions of the BJP-led state government, and this was reflected in another of Siddaramaiah's tweets.
"Narendra Modi had failed to introduce an efficient GST, but our Chief Minister has successfully introduced VST (Vijayendra Service Tax). In both the cases, people are the sufferers," he said.
The BJP has denied these allegations.
"There is no strength to these allegations. Mr Vijayendra is being targeted because he is the son of the Chief Minister. How else will the Congress General Secretary get publicity for his press meeting? So, he demands the Chief Minister's resignation. We in the BJP are not giving it any importance. It is the work of the Congress to malign the BJP's name, that of the Chief Minister and his son," BJP MLC N Ravikumar told NDTV.