Karnataka: Congress accuses BJP govt of Rs 18000 crore scam in tender bookings | Azad Times

The Congress in Karnataka accused the ruling BJP government in the state of indulging in corrupt practices and making irregularities in the tender booking process. Congress leader Siddaramaiah alleged that the state government is looting the state coffers in the run-up to the upcoming election. He said that the government is calling meetings to approve projects hastily in order to pay off dissatisfied MLAs who have not become ministers. BJP MLA Gulihatti D Shekar had earlier written a letter to the Additional Chief Secretary of the Water Resources Department, alleging that tenders for irrigation projects were awarded illegally and without transparency.

The former Karnataka CM alleged that there is no transparency in the process and that tender money has been doubled or tripled. Contractors, he said, are being selected based on the highest commission they offer, which is a continuation of the 40% commission common in the state. "The government is selling work to those who give 10% commission, which started from the Chief Minister's office. This must be prevented. We will also propose this in the House," Siddaramaiah said.

The Congress warned the government, contractors, and officials that any illegal activity in the future will be exposed, and a civil and criminal case will be filed against those involved. The Congress leader vowed to form a commission of inquiry and investigate everything, exposing all those accused of corruption.

In his letter Gulihatti D Shekar alleged that tenders worth Rs 18,000 crore had been awarded in different boards of the corporation almost on the same day by making illegal conducts. “The Krishna Bhagya Jala Nigam Ltd.(KBJNL), Visveswaraya Jala Nigam Limited (VJNL), Karnataka Neeravari Nigam Limited (KNNL) and other irrigation corporations are involved in the illegality of decisions in the boards for works amounting to Rs 18,000 crore, and there is a lack of transparency in the tenders of Rs 4,200 crore called in VJNL,” the letter read. He further stated that there were loopholes in the tenders called for the introduction of drip irrigation systems and filling of water to the lake through a pipeline in Hosadurga, Jagalur, Kadur, and other taluks.