Mysuru: Former MP and senior Congress leader, Mr Adagur H Vishwanath, said he would reply to any show cause notice served on him through a convention of party workers and voters.
He told the media here on Monday: "I have not said anything that will cause problems to the party or anything that will bring a bad name to the party. Have I received any bribe after the Congress came to power in the state? Some lackeys might have complained. They (KPCC leaders) would have sent the notice by post. It might be on its way. In case I receive any notice, I will place it before the party workers and general public, and ask them what type of answer I should give."
He condemned the merger of Karnataka's Yashaswini health insurance scheme with New Delhi's Vajpayee Arogya Sri scheme. "Yashaswini scheme must be continued as it is, in the interest of general public. I have written about it Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and health minister Ramesh Kumar. They have not responded. The Chief Minister does not have the patience to even listen to what someone says. Hence, it becomes inevitable for me to address the media.. They are spoiling a scheme which was popular. Mr Ramesh Kumar is an intelligent person, but I don't understand why Congress leaders who speak against BJP are supporting New Delhi's schemes which are a failure," Mr Vishwanath added.
‘MLA view on payoffs will hit Congress’
A section of Congress leaders confide that the statement made by party MLA, K. Venkatesh that they indulge in corruption to pay voters, will certainly cause damage to the party ahead of polls especially in a region where by-polls to two constituencies are due.
Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, a senior leader observed that although what Mr Venkatesh has said may be true, the timing is very important in politics. "It is like an old adage - Three things that never come back; the spent arrow, the spoken word and the lost opportunity - a leader should be aware of what he or she is speaking. Venkatesh’s statement at a time when Chief Minister Siddarmaiah is facing a Rs 1,000 crore corruption charge and the party is gearing up for by-elections in the region, makes it difficult for the party to explain its stand on corruption," the source explained. He added that Venkatesh's statement will not have a state-wide impact but will have an adverse impact in two constituencies-Gundlupet and Nanjangud.
