Vijayendra Demands Probe Into 'Conspiracy' Against Siddaramaiah, Targets Cong Over Corruption

Shivamogga: BJP Karnataka president B Y Vijayendra on Monday demanded a proper investigation into the alleged sting operation targeting Congress leader Siddaramaiah, accusing Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and the Congress government of showing little interest in the matter. Vijayendra alleged that there was a conspiracy to use and subsequently discard Siddaramaiah, and claimed that the episode had raised questions about internal divisions within the ruling Congress.

"Instead of delaying matters, the Chief Minister must ensure a proper investigation and bring the entire episode to a conclusion," Vijayendra told reporters here.

He alleged that CDs and pen drives were being used to settle political scores and claimed that the so-called CD factory, earlier operating from the KPCC office, had shifted to Vidhana Soudha. He also claimed that Congress legislators and senior ministers were apprehensive about compromising videos being released against them.

"This is not merely an internal issue of the Congress party," he said, urging Shivakumar to take responsibility and ensure a thorough investigation.

The sting operation has become a talking point in Karnataka with, Shivakumar claiming that a bid was made to trap him after he became Chief Minister.

Recently, Shivakumar's predecessor Siddaramaiah has obtained an injunction from a court against airing or telecasting a defamatory video, which was posted on a social media site.

Based on Siddaramaiah's complaint, police detained a few JD(S) workers for posting the defamatory video on a social media site.

Union Minister and JD(S) second-in-command H D Kumaraswamy has been alleging that police were targeting the wrong people while shielding those who are the main culprits who made the video.

Kumaraswamy has alleged that the government could be extending indirect support to the accused and questioned the circumstances surrounding the investigation.

He has also warned that the JD(S) would not remain silent if the authorities help the key accused secure anticipatory bail.

Vijayendra accused the Congress government of widespread corruption, citing alleged irregularities worth hundreds of crores of rupees in the Labour Department's health-check-up programme.

He alleged that bogus bills had been generated for health camps that were not conducted in most places.

Referring to the Rs 89 crore scam in Karnataka State Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation Development Corporation, he said the controversy had led to the death by suicide of accounts superintendent P Chandrasekharan from Shivamogga and the resignation of minister B Nagendra.

"Corruption, corruption and more corruption - that is all this Congress government has delivered," he alleged, adding that even the procurement of shoes and uniforms for schoolchildren had been tainted by alleged irregularities.

He also accused the government of failing to undertake basic infrastructure works, provide adequate development funds and release drought relief to farmers. Vijayendra alleged that the announced assistance of Rs 2,500 per affected farmer family had not been disbursed.

He further alleged that pensions for persons with disabilities, widows and senior citizens were not being paid properly and that farmers in rural areas continued to face inadequate three-phase power supply.

Questioning the government's commitment to employment generation, Vijayendra asked how many industries it had brought to Karnataka and how many jobs it had created during its three-and-a-half years in power.

"Kannadigas deserve justice and employment opportunities. But around 2.5 lakh government posts remain vacant. Have you been able to fill these vacancies?" he asked.

The BJP state chief criticised the government's handling of reservation-related issues and recruitment through the scam-hit Karnataka Public Service Commission.

Claiming that farmers, the poor, Dalits, youth and women were angry with the government, Vijayendra predicted that the BJP would win 120-130 Assembly seats on its own if elections were held immediately.

He also claimed that discontent among senior Congress legislators over the Chief Minister had triggered discussions within the party about a possible leadership change.

On the ongoing sugarcane growers' agitation, Vijayendra challenged Shivakumar to announce additional support for farmers, saying that merely writing to the Centre would not resolve their problems.

He claimed that the state earned thousands of crores of rupees in revenue from sugar factories through taxes, molasses and ethanol production, besides purchasing electricity from them at around Rs two to Rs. three per unit.