K Siddaramaiah has been in controversy himself over an expensive watch. (File Photo)
Bengaluru:
Karnataka Chief Minister K Siddaramaiah on Thursday dismissed allegations of favouring a company - in which his son is one of the directors - in a contract with a government hospital.
The Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute went into business with a private diagnostic company, Matrix Imaging Solutions, in October last year. The chief minister's younger son, Dr Yathindra, had joined that private firm a year ago on its board of directors. The opposition claims this is a conflict of interest - Dr Yathindra has offered to resign from the company, even as his father, Mr Siddaramaiah, says the whole process was open and transparent.
The chief minister told reporters who asked him about the issue, "What allegations? He is a doctor by profession. His friend is having a company in which he is one of the directors. They have participated in the tender and theirs is the lowest tender. It is service to the people. There is no money involved from the government. It is totally transparent."
Only recently, the chief minister was at the centre of a controversy over an expensive watch he was seen wearing - a Hublot with an estimated value of Rs 70 lakh. Mr Siddaramaiah was forced to say where he had got the watch from - he claimed it was a gift from a friend.
Another man, who is no stranger to allegations of corruption - the BJP's newly-appointed state president and former chief minister, BS Yeddyurappa - also weighed in. When asked about corruption charges he was facing, Mr Yeddyurappa said, "CM's son is facing charges... he invested 200 crores in project for government hospital..."
The Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute went into business with a private diagnostic company, Matrix Imaging Solutions, in October last year. The chief minister's younger son, Dr Yathindra, had joined that private firm a year ago on its board of directors. The opposition claims this is a conflict of interest - Dr Yathindra has offered to resign from the company, even as his father, Mr Siddaramaiah, says the whole process was open and transparent.
The chief minister told reporters who asked him about the issue, "What allegations? He is a doctor by profession. His friend is having a company in which he is one of the directors. They have participated in the tender and theirs is the lowest tender. It is service to the people. There is no money involved from the government. It is totally transparent."
Only recently, the chief minister was at the centre of a controversy over an expensive watch he was seen wearing - a Hublot with an estimated value of Rs 70 lakh. Mr Siddaramaiah was forced to say where he had got the watch from - he claimed it was a gift from a friend.
Another man, who is no stranger to allegations of corruption - the BJP's newly-appointed state president and former chief minister, BS Yeddyurappa - also weighed in. When asked about corruption charges he was facing, Mr Yeddyurappa said, "CM's son is facing charges... he invested 200 crores in project for government hospital..."
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