"Will Retire From Politics If...": Siddaramaiah On 'Cash For Posting' Charge

With JD(S) state president H D Kumaraswamy repeatedly attacking him and his son Yathindra, a former Congress MLA, accusing them of a "cash for transfer" racket, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday said he will retire from politics, if proven that he has taken money, even in a single transfer case of government officials. He alleged such cash for transfer happened during Mr Kumaraswamy's tenure.

"I have told you not to ask about it (Kumaraswamy's allegations). Haven't I responded to it already? Let him tweet (post on X) a number of times. He is speaking about what they did during his tenure (as CM)," Siddaramaiah said in response to a question about Kumaraswamy's attacks.

The Chief Minister said, "He (Kumaraswamy) is speaking about the money they (Kumaraswamy and JDS leaders) took for transfers. They took money during his tenure. In our tenure, we have not taken any money. I have already said -- I will retire from politics if it's proved that I have taken money in even a single case of transfer." "Let him tweet a hundred times, I don't want to reply," he added.

Mr Kumaraswamy had recently sought to link a phone conversation between Yathindra and Siddaramaiah, which was widely circulated on social media, to allege a 'cash for postings/transfer' scam, a charge which has been rightly rejected by the chief minister and his son.

Continuing his attack, Mr Kumaraswamy has even alleged that an official, whose name was mentioned in a phone conversation between the Chief Minister and his son, had figured in the transfer list of police inspectors released recently.

Further accusing Yathindra of acting like a "Super Chief Minister", the JD(S) leader had even sought the resignation of Siddaramaiah over a video clip.

The former chief minister today too, in a series of posts on 'X', on the issue, accused Siddaramaiah of outsourcing his Varuna constituency in Mysuru district to his son Yathindra.

Yathindra from 2018-23 had represented the Varuna segment, and in 2023, he gave up the seat to his father Siddaramaiah to contest from his home seat for one last time, and himself did not contest from any other constituency.

"The people of Varuna have chosen you (Siddaramaiah). You have to do their work yourself. Why outsource the constituency to your son? I never outsourced the constituency to my son when I was Chief Minister. You have outsourced Varuna to the son," Mr Kumaraswamy posted.

Noting that as far as he knows, no Chief Minister has ever outsourced his constituency to children, he accused Siddaramaiah of giving power to his son, through the backdoor, by ensuring him a Karnataka Development Programme (KDP) post in the segment. 

"Is there any provision in the constitution that allows this? If so, let me know." Further stating that as far as he knows, CSR stands for Corporate Social Responsibility, Kumaraswamy said, "Now it has become Corrupt Son Of Siddaramaiah! Have you outsourced to your son -- to do CSR collection in the state? Is he in-charge of CSR for 224 constituencies (in the state)? You seem to have your eye on the 2 percent CSR as well."

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)