CM Siddaramaiah blames contractors for swelling pending bills
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has blamed contractors for swelling pending bills, saying tenders were floated without budgetary provisions and then the works were completed.
Dismissing the contractors' allegations that state officials demand money, the chief minister said no one should either pay or receive bribes.
Siddaramaiah also said that he never took a certain percentage of money as commission for clearing bills or releasing money to the contractors.
Speaking to reporters here on Monday, Siddaramaiah said the contractors' association met him and put forth their demand to clear half of their dues.
"The contractors told me that Rs 30,000 crore was pending and asked me to pay them Rs 15,000 crore by April. I said that cannot be done, and I will pay whatever is possible," the chief minister said.
Asked about the contractors saying they would meet Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi to get their dues cleared, Siddaramaiah said he had no objection to their meeting but he has to first see the financial condition of the state before paying them their dues.
"The tenders were invited without budgetary allocations. The contractors participated in the process, the contracts were finalised, and the work started. That's how the pending bills accumulated. Are we responsible for it," the chief minister asked.
"Let them complain to whoever they want. We have to see our financial condition first. We don't have any intention to decline their payments," Siddaramaiah added.
On the contractors' allegation that 'commission' system was prevalent in the state with officials often demanding certain percentage of money, Siddaramaiah said the contractors should not pay any bribe to the officials.
"No one should take bribe. I never took any percentage of money for clearing bills or releasing money," the chief minister said.
According to Siddaramaiah, not only the person who accepts bribe is a criminal, but also the one who pays it.
After the meeting with the chief minister, the Karnataka State Contractors' Association (KSCA) alleged that the corruption prevailing now was more than what existed during the previous BJP government.
Corruption charges helped the opposition Congress launch the '40 per cent commission' allegation in Karnataka in 2023, which finally led to the ouster of the BJP.
KSCA president R Manjunath claimed before reporters that officials were harassing them to clear the bills.
He also said the contractors will meet Kharge and Rahul Gandhi to flag the corruption prevailing in the state and the harassment they are facing.
Ahead of presenting his 16th state Budget on March 7, Siddaramaiah, who also holds the finance portfolio, chaired a business advisory committee meeting on Monday.
He later told reporters that along with the Congress, the opposition BJP and the JD(S) also attended the meeting.
Sira Congress MLA T B Jayachandra will initiate discussions on the governor's address in the assembly on Tuesday, which will go on till Thursday, Siddaramaiah said.
The discussions on Budget will start next Tuesday (March 11) and go on till March 19.
"On March 20, I will reply to the discussions on the Budget in the legislative council," Siddaramaiah said.
When told that people have high expectations from the Budget, the chief minister said they should wait till March 7.
"The (Budget) document is secret till it is presented. Till then we cannot say what is there in it," Siddaramaiah said.
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Nothing wrong in MLAs aspiring for ministerial position: K'taka HM Parameshwara
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Bengaluru (PTI): Amid a group of ruling Congress MLAs camping in Delhi with a cabinet rejig demand for their inclusion, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Monday said there was nothing wrong in legislators aspiring for ministerial positions.
He asserted that experienced MLAs were capable of handling such responsibilities.
His remarks came a day after senior and first-time MLAs stepped up lobbying efforts in the national capital with the party high command, seeking a cabinet reshuffle and greater representation.
"There is nothing wrong in them asking for it (ministerial position)," Parameshwara, a senior Congress leader, said
He added that the MLAs, some of who have been elected thrice, are capable to take up the ministerial positions.
He maintained that the final call on any cabinet reshuffle rests with the party high command.
"Our Chief Minister (Siddaramaiah), the high command, and our party (state) president (DK Shivakumar) decide about reshuffle. These three sit together and take a decision," he said.
The minister also indicated that the established procedure for cabinet formation was likely being followed.
"Earlier too, when I was the (state Congress) president, during cabinet formation, the Pradesh Congress Committee president, the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader, and our in-charge general secretaries would take decisions that would then be presented before our AICC president, approval would be obtained, and then it would be announced," he said.
He added that even today the same procedure is followed.
Responding to questions on whether senior ministers would make way for newcomers, Parameshwara said they would abide by the party's decision.
"If the high command decides then we have to accept it. There is no question of not accepting it," he said.
Stressing on party discipline, he added, "Whether it is me, Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy, or Energy Minister K J George, we all are seniors. If they (high command) decide that we should be replaced and make changes, then there is no question of us opposing it."
Clarifying that discussions were limited to a possible cabinet reshuffle, he said decisions on leadership matters were entirely in the hands of the high command.
He said the discussions were limited only to the Cabinet rejig and not changing the party state president, a post being held by Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar for the past six years.
"Right now we are discussing cabinet reshuffle, not about the party president. All such matters are left to the high command," he said.
Recalling his own appointment as state Congress president in the past, Parameshwara said he had not lobbied for the post. "When I was made president, I did not lobby for it. Our leader Sonia Gandhi took the decision. It came as a surprise to me. I had not asked for it," he said.
On Sunday, several senior MLAs travelled to Delhi to press for a cabinet reshuffle, while first-time legislators renewed their demand for representation, seeking at least five berths in the Siddaramaiah-led ministry.
The push for a rejig comes amid internal rumblings within the ruling party and speculation over leadership issues, even as the high command is yet to take a final call.
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