Siddaramaiah alleges BJP offering Rs 50 crore to lure Cong MLAs
Bengaluru : Former chief minister Siddaramaiah Monday alleged BJP was offering Rs 50 crore each to Congress MLAs as part of its bid to topple the JDS-Congress government in Karnataka, but asserted none of them would fall for it.
Separately, two ministers in the H D Kumaraswamy cabinet alleged BJP was still making attempts to poach Congress and JDS MLAs while claiming that a few saffron party legislators were in touch with the coalition partners.
Rejecting Siddaramaiah's claim, BJP hit back saying the coalition government should focus on administration of the state instead of hurling charges.
The claims by the ruling side came amid reports that disgruntled Congress MLAs might stay away from the coming budget session of the assembly thereby posing a threat to the eight-month old Kumaraswamy government.
Senior BJP leader R Ashoka had last week claimed that 20 to 25 disgruntled MLAs of the ruling alliance were out of the reach of their leaders.
The saffron party on Sunday had said it was not averse to moving a no-confidence motion during the budget session commencing on February 6.
Siddaramaiah said: "They (BJP) are under some illusion of power. They are offering Rs 50 crore (to Congress MLAs). They huddled their 104 MLAs in a seven-star hotel in Haryana for a week.
"How much it will be if each of the 20 MLAs get Rs 50 crore? It is Rs 1,000 crore. From where they got so much of money?" he said while speaking to reporters at Koppal
He alleged the BJP wants to 'buy' 20 Congress MLAs and said none would fall for it even if offered Rs 100 crore.
Rejecting the charge, BJP spokesperson and state general secretary N Ravi Kumar said his party was not trying to dislodge the government.
We are not trying to pull down the government. Let them table the budget and run the government. We are playing the role of a constructive opposition," he told PTI.
At the height of political turmoil early last month after two independent MLAs withdrew support to the government and some Congress MLAs went incommunicado, Siddaramaiah had made a similar charge alleging that the BJP was trying to buy Congress MLAs by offering Rs 25-30 crore.
Dismissing Siddaramaiah's charge, state BJP president B S Yeddyurappa had dared him to provide evidence and said there was no need for the BJP to pull down the government, as the coalition partners were themselves "restive".
Urban Development Minister and Congress leader U T Khader and Tourism Minister Sa Ra Mahesh of JD(S) Monday alleged BJP was continuing its efforts to destablise the state government and hinted some saffron party MLAs could switch sides.
All our MLAs are in touch with our senior leaders; also BJP legislators are also in touch. So there is no problem, but we have not made any allurements (to BJP MLAs)...," Khader told reporters in Mangaluru.
He, however, declined to divulge any names.
The Minister alleged that the BJP had been trying to destabilise the government for the last eight months instead of extending cooperation as a responsible opposition.
Speaking to reporters in Mysuru, Mahesh accused BJP of still trying to lure JD(S) MLAs.
"Wait and watch... now it has come to climax stage," he said to a question about his earlier claim that some BJP legislators were in touch with him.
They are trying to make MLAs skip the budget session.
They are luring with money. Sunday also they have tried to reach out to our MLAs," the JDS Minister alleged adding that BJP even offered Minister's position to them.
Mahesh said the MLAs who "got the calls" had informed the chief minister about it.
Earlier Monday, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Working President Eshwar Khandre also hinted that some BJP MLAs might switch sides.
Responding to a question on whether Congress was in touch with any BJP MLAs as a retaliatory move, he said: "We need not contact any one, they themselves will come to us. No need to tell numbers (how many), they will come in line, he claimed.
He said a good budget would be presented by Kumaraswamy government and the ruling coalition was strong.
He expressed confidence that all party legislators, including the four who had skipped the recent legislature party meeting, will participate in the session.
Nothing will happen, government is stable.On February 8, a good budget will be presented. Government is very strong and it will complete five year term, he said.
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2001 Parliament attack anniversary: Vice Prez, PM Modi, MPs pay tributes to fallen heroes
New Delhi (PTI): Vice President C P Radhakrishnan on Saturday led Parliamentarians in paying floral tributes to those who died fending off terrorists who attacked the Parliament House in 2001.
On the 24th anniversary of the attack, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Radhakrishnan, who is also the Rajya Sabha Chair, were among the first to offer tributes.
A brief function is held outside the now old Parliament building (Samvidhan Sadan) every December 13 to mark the day.
CISF personnel presented a salute or "samman guard" at the venue, after which a moment of silence was observed to mark the anniversary. Till 2023, the CRPF used to offer 'salami shastra' (present arms).
Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, a senior party leader, were also present at the event. Union ministers Kiren Rijiju, Jitendra Singh and Arjun Ram Meghwal also lined up to offer flower petals at the photographs of the personnel who went down foiling the attack.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla is in Latur to attend the funeral of former speaker of the Lower House of Parliament and ex-Union minister Shivraj Patil.
The attack was carried out by five armed terrorists, but personnel from the now former Parliament Security Service, CRPF and Delhi Police foiled the attack, with no terrorist being able to enter the building.
Six Delhi Police personnel, two Parliament Security Service personnel, a gardener and a TV video journalist were killed in the attack. All five terrorists were gunned down in the forecourt of the then Parliament building.
