Bengaluru: The state government has stoked a fresh controversy with Mr Sunil Bose, son of Public Works Department minister Dr H.C. Mahadevappa appointed chairman of the Vigilance Committee to select beneficiaries of various schemes in T Narasipur Assembly constituency.
With this, Mr Bose has powers to select beneficiaries for Dr BR Ambedkar Awas Yojana, Indira Awas Yojana, Rajiv Gandhi Awas Yojana and other state and central government housing programmes. Till recently, he was 'unofficially' holding review meetings and had performed the bhumi pooja for many schemes in his father's constituency.
Recently, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had appointed his son, Dr Yatindra Siddaramaiah as chairman of the vigilance committee of Varuna constituency for a similar purpose. This had attracted criticism from various quarters.
The appointment of Mr Bose is being viewed seriously since a case was pending against him for allegedly forcing an officer to accept bribe for allowing illegal sand trade in T Narasipur taluk.
It had been the practice to appoint a local the legislator as chairman of the vigilance committee to pick beneficiaries. But, the incumbent government had reportedly broke this tradition by appointing men of its choice.
In fact, Mr Bose wanted to contest on the Congress ticket in the recent Nanjangud Assembly by-elections but the party decided not to field him after the allegations of sand mining was made against him. There are reports now doing the rounds that he may be fielded from Nanjangud in the 2018 elections.
