Is the Commission War Real? K'taka BJP Claims Congress Govt is Taking 80% Cuts, Demands CM Siddaramaiah's Resignation

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- BJP accuses Congress of 80% commission
- Call for CM Siddaramaiah's resignation
- Contractors' Association claims corruption doubled
- Previous BJP government faced similar allegations
- Public trust in government at stake
Bengaluru, Sep 29 (NationPress) Following a letter from the Karnataka State Contractors' Association to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, which accuses the government of significant abuse of authority in contract allocations and unpaid dues, the BJP in Karnataka initiated a strong critique of the Congress-led administration on Monday.
The Karnataka BJP contended that the Congress government is involved in 80 percent cuts from contracts and called for the resignation of CM Siddaramaiah.
During a press conference, R. Ashoka, the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Assembly and a prominent BJP figure, stated, "The Congress-led administration has been exposed for demanding 80 percent commission. Thus, CM Siddaramaiah must resign without delay."
LoP Ashoka further asserted that both CM Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar had falsely accused the BJP of taking 40 percent commission.
"Now, with the Karnataka State Contractors' Association’s letter indicating the Congress government is demanding double the commission, it is apparent this is an 80 percent government. If the state government values its integrity, all should resign. CM Siddaramaiah must step down immediately," he added.
"If the Ministers are innocent of bribery, they ought to clarify their positions. Otherwise, it implies that all have engaged in corrupt practices. The government has dismantled the Justice Nagamohan Das committee, likely out of fear that corruption would be exposed. During the BJP's governance, the Congress had publicized posters claiming 'Pay CM'. Rahul Gandhi should address this situation," LoP Ashoka remarked.
Former Deputy CM and BJP MLA C.N. Ashwath Narayan called on the Congress-led government to respond to the allegations made by the Contractors' Association.
"When accusations were directed at the preceding BJP government, they (Congress) demanded our resignations. The ruling Congress had previously utilized the Contractors' Association to gain power in the state but has now dismissed it. The Contractors' Association claims that the Congress government is engaged in blatant theft. It's been three days since the allegations were made, and representatives of the Congress-led government have remained silent, which reveals their culpability," he asserted.
In a blow to CM Siddaramaiah, the Karnataka State Contractor Association (KSCA) had sent a letter on September 27, claiming that corruption under the Congress-led government has intensified compared to the previous BJP administration.
The letter, signed by KSCA President R. Manjunath and General Secretary G.M. Ravindra, stated that when he was in opposition, CM Siddaramaiah had promised that his administration would eliminate kickbacks.
The letter alleges that projects under Nirmiti Kendras and the Karnataka Rural Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (KRIDL) have been assigned to associates of MLAs and Ministers, who subsequently pass these projects to contractors demanding kickbacks.
"Quality assurance becomes challenging when projects are subcontracted to us," the letter emphasized.
Moreover, it noted, "We wish to remind you that our fight against corruption contributed to your (Congress) government being elected in the state."
During the previous BJP government’s term, the KSCA had alleged 40 percent commission.
The KSCA had also communicated with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at that time.
The Congress had made the 40 percent commission accusation a focal point during its election campaign against the former BJP state government.
Addressing the outstanding bills amounting to Rs 32,000 crore, the letter remarked, "Each time you (CM Siddaramaiah) assure us and instruct officials to act. Out of respect for you, we have remained patient, hoping you would resolve our issues. However, we have yet to see any benefits from your (Congress) administration."
"Regarding the clearance of bus, seniority is not being adhered to. Only 15 to 20 percent of pending bills are cleared every three months. The Municipal administration, Urban development, and Labour departments are engaging in corrupt tender practices," the letter alleged.
It also stated that officials are converting tenders into packages, ensuring contracts are awarded solely to a select group of powerful contractors, while the relevant Ministers are turning a blind eye.
This development has ignited controversy in Karnataka.