Cong stages protest as K’taka BJP MLA booked for bribery

BENGALURU: The Karnataka Congress on Saturday held a protest in Bengaluru seeking the resignation of chief minister Basavaraj Bommai, a day after a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA was booked and his son, a government officer, was arrested in a bribery case. Bommai, however, dismissed the Congress’s demand and said the opposition party is left with no other job.

On Thursday, Karnataka Lokayukta officials arrested Prashanth Madal after he was caught taking a bribe of ₹40 lakh in his father’s office. In the raids that followed, they recovered ₹6.1 crore in cash from his residence and ₹2.2 crore from his office. His father, Madal Virupakshappa, MLA representing Channagiri constituency of the state, has been named the main accused in the corruption case.

On Friday, Virupakshappa resigned from the post of the chairman of Karnataka Soaps and Detergent Ltd, but maintained that he was “framed” .

The development triggered a political slugfest in the poll-bound state with Congress workers taking out a rally to lay siege to the CM’s residence on Saturday. They were, however, detained on the way by the police.

Earlier in the day, Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka assembly, Siddaramaiah attacked Bommai, saying: “The CM lied to the people when he said his government is corruption-free. Why was so much money recovered from the MLA’s son then?” The CM said: “The Opposition has no other job other than seeking my resignation. I would like to ask Siddaramaiah whether he had resigned as CM when ₹2 lakh was found from a minister’s house.”

THE DEVELOPMENT TRIGGERED A POLITICAL SLUGFEST IN THE POLL-BOUND STATE WITH CONGRESS WORKERS TAKING OUT A RALLY TO LAY SIEGE TO THE CM’S RESIDENCE

IYF¹FFÊ»F¹F Ad°FdSX¢°F ¸Fb£¹F Ad·F¹Fa°FF, ÀFF½FʪFd³FIY d³F¸FFʯF d½F·FF¦F, ÀFa·FF¦F-AªF¸FZSX

ANI Congress leader Siddaramaiah detained during a protest.