Cong leader says party unit chief in K’taka took bribe
Political leaders in Karnataka are often prone to getting caught on camera at the wrong moment. This time, in a major embarrassment for the Congress, two top leaders were caught on camera discussing state party president DK Sivakumar’s clandestine way of collecting bribes. One of the leaders was also heard saying that DKS is a drunkard.
Former Lok Sabha member VS Ugrappa and media coordinator of Congress Party MA Salim were heard discussing how DKS collects bribes. The two were discussing I-T raids in Karnataka, especially on a political consultancy firm called ‘Designboxed’. The two were unaware that the mikes were on just ahead of a press meet. In the conversation, Salim mentions that someone close to DKS has made crores and wonders how much others have made.
The two leaders were heard discussing how DKS made "adjustments (from 68% to 12% share) in contracts" to an aide of his who "made around 50-100 crore".
"It was 6-8% (but) after DK came, he made it 12%. These are all some adjustments by DK... he is a scamster... his aide made around 50-100 crore. Imagine how much DK would have made... he is just a collection person," Salim can be heard saying.
Later, DKS did not deny the conversation took place, but denied any link to the allegations. "You have shown they spoke ill against me... I will not deny it. (But) Ugrappa has given a statement... (and) I was never part of any 'percentage'," he was quoted by news agency PTI.
The 'percentage' is reportedly linked to scams in the state's Irrigation Department at a time when DKS was Irrigation Minister; this was when the Congress-JDS was in power in Karnataka.
"Whenever DK talks, he stammers a lot, just like drunkards. He drinks?" Salim asks of Ugrappa, to which the latter responds: "That's what they were telling".
The Congress responded by expelling Salim for 6 years and has sent Ugrappa a show-cause notice. Ugrappa later clarified that Salim was making him aware of the BJP's allegations.
FPJ could not independently verify if the video of the conversation was true.