The letter on the Congress' Aland MLA BR Patil's letterhead, accusing ministers of seeking money and shared by BJP leaders, was deemed fake.
Published Jul 26, 2023 | 12:36 AM ⚊ Updated Jul 26, 2023 | 11:48 AM
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has called for a CLP meeting for MLAs to raise their concerns. (File Photo/Supplied)
The Congress’ Karnataka unit is currently experiencing a period of turbulence and concern. The recent political developments have highlighted issues of dissent within the party and a lack of coordination between ministers and MLAs.
To address these growing concerns and on the demand of the MLAs, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has called for a Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting on Thursday, 27 July.
The CLP meeting was initially scheduled on 19 July, but was postponed due to the passing of former Kerala chief minister and Congress stalwart Oommen Chandy, said Siddaramaiah in Haveri on Tuesday.
All-India Congress Committee president Mallikarjun Kharge is likely to take part in the CLP meeting on Thursday, claimed party sources.
Several senior Congress MLAs have reportedly expressed dissent over ministers not responding to their letters related to the development of their respective constituencies. A few other legislators have said there was a lack of coordination between ministers and legislators.
A letter addressed to the chief minister, purportedly by the Congress’ Aland MLA BR Patil accusing ministers of demanding money through a third person to sanction funds, went viral on social media platforms on Tuesday.
It led to speculations in political circles that all was not well within the government and the Congress.
However, Patil quickly clarified that it was a fake letter. He also alleged that there was the possibility of the BJP’s role behind this fake letter.
A letter addressed to Siddaramaiah — reportedly having the signatures of 30 MLAs, including Yelburga MLA Basavaraj Rayaraddy and Muddebihal MLA CS Nadagouda — requested a summon for a CLP meeting to deliberate on various issues.
Aland MLA BR Patil has also reportedly written a letter to the chief minister. Admitting this, he told reporters in Kalaburagi on Tuesday: “The CLP meeting that was called on 19 July was called off due to various reasons. MLAs have a democratic right to appeal to the CLP leader to call for a legislature party meeting.”
He added: “I have written a letter to the chief minister requesting to call a CLP meeting to discuss various issues including whether the government will provide funds or not for the ongoing projects because the previous government sanctioned the projects without making the proper budgetary allocation.”
He also said: “Many MLAs, including Basavaraj Rayareddy, have signed the letter. I wrote the letter about three-four days ago.”
Rayareddy, meanwhile, said: “The Aland MLA met me asking for a signature on a letter he wrote to the chief minister requesting to hold the CLP meeting. The other MLAs, including Raju Kage from Kagwad, had already signed the letter. There was no mention of making allegations against the ministers in the letter.”
Several senior Congress MLAs said there was a lack of coordination between ministers and MLAs.
Basavaraj Rayaraddy told South First about the CLP meeting: “On Thursday, we will hold a detailed discussion and raise concerning issues.”
He added: “There is a lack of coordination between ministers and MLAs, and it has to be addressed at the earliest. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is providing excellent governance. The ministers have responded to all my letters.”
Another senior Congress leader and MLA CS Nadagouda told South First: “The expectations of the voters are very high from the Congress government. We have demanded a CLP meeting to discuss the government’s priorities for development works.”
He added: “There is also rampant corruption in the administration. This has to be addressed at the earliest because the party has to face the Lok Sabha elections in 2024. There are also many other internal issues that will be discussed in the CLP meeting.”
The BJP allegedly shared an allegedly fake letter from Aland MLA BR Patil, claiming that he had complained to the chief minister about ministers demanding money through a third person to sanction grants.
Vijayapura City MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal has shared the fake letter on his social networking sites.
ಸಿದ್ದರಾಮಯ್ಯನವರ ಸರ್ಕಾರದ ಭ್ರಷ್ಟಾಚಾರದ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ನಾವು ಹೇಳಿದಾಗ ಅಪಹಾಸ್ಯ ಮಾಡುತ್ತಿದ್ದ ಕಾಂಗ್ರೆಸ್ ಕಮಂಗಿಗಳಿಗೆ ಅವರ ಪಕ್ಷದ ಶಾಸಕರೇ ಬರೆದಿರುವ ಪತ್ರವಿದು.
ಅನುದಾನಗಳಿಗೆ MLAಗಳು ಮಂತ್ರಿಗಳಿಗೆ ಹಣ ನೀಡಬೇಕಂತೆ, ಮೂರನೇ ವ್ಯಕ್ತಿಯ ಮೂಲಕ ಸಚಿವರು ಹಣಕ್ಕೆ ಬೇಡಿಕೆಯಿಟ್ಟಿದ್ದಾರಂತೆ, ಶಾಸಕರ ಮಾತಿಗೆ ಕಿಮ್ಮತ್ತಿಲ್ಲವೆಂದು ಹೇಳಿದ್ದಾರೆ.
— Basanagouda R Patil (Yatnal) (@BasanagoudaBJP) July 25, 2023
“When we talk about the corruption in Siddaramaiah’s government, the Congress leaders who used to mock it have now written a letter themselves. They say that MLAs have to pay ministers even to secure funds for allowances, and the secretaries ask for money through a third person,” tweeted Yatnal.
“They claim that the promises made to the legislators are not being honoured. I will write a letter to the Lokayukta about this corruption, let there be an investigation. The sole purpose of this government is to loot Karnataka,” Yatnal said that he will file a complaint to Lokayukta.
Meanwhile, the Aland MLA was quick to respond and term it a fake letter. “I keep serial numbers on my official letterheads, so that it doesn’t get misused. The letter that is out doesn’t have a serial number. It’s a fake letter. Maybe the BJP or my opponents have created the fake letter. There has to be an investigation into this,” said Patil.
Rayaraddy was on his side when he told South First: “The content of the letter was about requesting the chief minister to hold a CLP meeting. There was no mention of ministers demanding money from the MLAs to release funds.”
He added: “We are all senior leaders in the party and there is no question of defaming the party or the government’s image.”
Alleging that his signature was forged by unknown miscreants, Nadagouda told South First: “None of the legislators has any intention to damage the party’s image. Some unknown miscreants have forged my signature.”
He added: “The letter with content accusing ministers of demanding money has not come to my notice. I will raise this issue of forgery in the CLP meeting. Based on the response from the leaders, I will take further action on this fake letter and tampering.” clarified the lawmaker.
Responding to the recent purported video of senior Congress leader and MLC BK Hariprasad that went viral, where he said that he knew how to make or break a chief minister, he called it a closed chapter.
Addressing an event organised by the Ediga, Billava, Namdhari, and Deevara communities, Hariprasad could be heard saying: “I know how to make a chief Minister and how to bring him down. I don’t beg from anyone. I stand proud. Becoming a minister is a different question.”
He added: “The community should be conscious. Whether I become a minister or not is a different question. I have already played a role in making five chief ministers in this country, whether it is Puducherry or Goa.”
He continued: “I did it alone in Jharkhand. In Haryana and Punjab, I did it along with the party’s central leadership. Siddaramaiah belongs to the backward class. We supported him in 2013 because we wanted everyone to remain united.”
He also alleged that the Billava and Ediga communities were not able to progress politically and were falling victim to someone’s conspiracies.
His statements were politicised and many news reports emerged that they targeted Siddaramaiah.
“It is a closed chapter. I will stand by my words. I don’t wish to discuss anything more on this. I will see whether the party will take up this in the CLP meeting. I will respond to them,” Hariprasad told South First.
