BJP urges Karnataka CM to sack two ministers over KRIDL bribery allegation
BJP demands dismissal of two Karnataka ministers after Congress MLA alleged KRIDL engineers collect 7% commission from contractors.
The opposition BJP in Karnataka has escalated a corruption allegation made by a ruling-party legislator, urging Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar to remove two ministers from his cabinet. The demand follows a letter from Congress MLA Ashok Kumar Rai, who accused engineers of the Karnataka Rural Infrastructure Development Limited (KRIDL) of collecting extra charges from contractors.
Addressing reporters in Bengaluru, Leader of the Opposition R. Ashok claimed the engineers were allegedly collecting an additional 7% from contractors, stating the money was meant for the Dakshina Kannada district in-charge minister and the department minister. Contractors who questioned the practice were reportedly threatened, according to the MLA's letter.
Ashok alleged that the state was running a "commission raj" since the Congress government came to power, with officials acting without restraint. He claimed that for every ₹100 released for projects, only ₹30 worth of work was completed, with the remaining amount going as commission. He estimated that around ₹800 crore may have been collected in commissions so far.
The BJP leader demanded that the two ministers be dismissed immediately and that the investigation be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Responding to the Chief Minister's criticism of the BJP's padayatra, Ashok defended the march, saying it was not political but aimed at creating public awareness on issues such as drought relief.