State Planning Board deputy chairman and B.S. Yediyurappa-loyalist B.J. Puttaswamy on Monday charged former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and his elder brother H.D. Revanna with “swindling public money without authorisation by the legislature.”

Speaking to reporters here, Mr. Puttaswamy said Mr. Kumaraswamy had been levelling baseless allegations against Mr. Yediyurappa who is struggling hard to bring economy that derailed the last seven years back on track.

He alleged that Mr. Kumaraswamy and Mr. Revanna sanctioned works worth over ₹55,000 crore in the Public Works Department without any sanction from the legislature or the Finance Department. Mr. Puttaswamy claimed that the present government was struggling to settle the work bills.