BJP challenges Reddy to debate on BBMP scams

BENGALURU:  BJP leaders Dr CN Ashwathnarayana and NR Ramesh challenged Karnataka Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy for a public debate on the alleged scams in Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) under the Siddaramaiah regime. The leaders on Wednesday released documents which allege as many as 70 scams within BBMP under the present Congress government. BJP MLC Ashwathnarayana said that all the chargesheets with necessary documents had been submitted to the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) and the Lokayukta, but no action had been taken so far. “Today, we have placed all the chargesheets in front of the media. The Congress should at least respond now,” he said.

BJP spokesperson for Bengaluru and urban district, Ramesh, said there were documents against 31 Congress leaders, including three against Agriculture Minister Krishna Byre Gowda, two each against KPCC Working President Dinesh Gundu Rao and Energy Minister D K Shivakumar. He said the Congress government had alleged that the BBMP was in debt due to loans taken during the BJP’s tenure. Responding to this, he said, “BBMP had taken a total of Rs 1,429.29 crore of loans during 2001 to 2005 when they were in power.”

Reacting to BJP leaders’ challenge for a public debate, the Home Minister expressed his readiness for the same with senior leader and former Deputy Chief Minister R Ashoka or Union minister Prakash Javadekar, who is poll in-charge of BJP in the state, on the alleged scams in BBMP. Reddy hit back at them by stating that it was during the BJP regime that the public money was looted and BJP leaders had no right to speak about corruption.”We are ready to fix a date in consultation with our KPCC Working President,” he said.

Ready for the challenge, says minister
Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy has expressed his readiness for a public debate with senior leader and former deputy chief minister R Ashoka on the alleged scams in BBMP under the Siddaramaiah regime. Reacting to BJP leaders’ challenge for a public debate in this regard, Reddy hit back saying that it was during the BJP regime that public money was looted. BJP leaders have no moral right to speak about corruption, he said. Reddy expressed his readiness for a public debate if BJP senior leaders such as Ashoka and Union minister Prakash Javadekar, who is poll in-charge of BJP in the state, are willing. “We are ready to fix a date in consultation with our KPCC working president Dinesh Gundu Rao,” he said.