KPCC president D.K. Shivakumar on Friday demanded a high-level probe into senior BJP leader and MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal’s claims that the Chief Minister’s post was on offer for ₹2,500 crore and ministerial berth for ₹100 crore in the ruling BJP Government in the State.
Mr. Shivakumar said Mr. Yatnal’s allegation on “sale” of posts for hefty payments was a very serious issue and must be discussed at the national level.
Power brokers
While addressing a rally of Panchamasali community in Ramdurg of Belagavi district, Mr. Yatnal on Friday alleged that a few power brokers from Delhi had asked him to pay ₹2,500 crore bribe to become the Chief Minister.
Many BJP MLAs have been awaiting ministerial berths, Mr. Shivakumar said, and demanded that the charge levelled by the MLA needs to be seriously taken up by BJP national president J.P. Nadda.
Speaking to presspersons here, Mr. Shivakumar alleged that “rates” had been fixed for posts of police sub-inspectors, assistant professors, and many other departments in the BJP Government as was evident in the ongoing investigations. The KPCC chief said a few months ago Prof. Ashok Kumar had ended his life over the appointment of Vice-Chancellor in the Bangalore University.
COVID deaths
Mr. Shivakumar demanded that the State Government must pay compensation of ₹ lakh each to families that had lost their members to COVID-19. He recalled that Opposition leader Siddaramaiah had long ago informed the Government that 4.5 lakh people had died owing to the pandemic.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) in its report claimed that 47 lakh people have died due to COVID-19 during 2020 and 2021 in the country, which is way higher than India’s official numbers.
