Southern States - Karnataka-Bangalore   

I am ready for probe, says Mayor

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE July 24. The Mayor, C.M.Nagaraj, on Thursday refuted the charge made by the Opposition members in the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike that he had ``misused'' his discretionary quota of Rs.10 crores.

Addressing presspersons here, he said he had sanctioned funds based on requisitions made by corporators. "I have no bias against any area or corporator. The money has been sanctioned only after realising the urgency of the work to be taken up in the wards,'' he said.

The BJP Yuva Morcha complained to the Lokayukta on Tuesday that the Rs.10-crore quota had been ``misused'' and that the money released on the basis of ``commission."

Dismissing the allegation as ``politically motivated," the Mayor said he was ready for a probe, including one by the Lokayukta. ``I deny the allegation. I do not go around with a kitty. It is just that I am authorised to sanction (funds) to corporators to get emergency works done. The money is yet to be released.

"The files concerned have to be cleared by officials at various levels,'' he said.

On the charge that he had allotted the money only to corporators of his party (Congress), he said party affiliations did not come in the way of implementing development works.

``I have inspected the areas, where corporators suggested emergency works. The difference is that I have not publicised my visits to wards as others did in the past,'' he said.

``I am not publicity crazy and have no regrets whatsoever. I take all criticism in a sportive spirit,'' he added. On the controversy over the Mayor having bought a luxury car for his use, he said, "do you expect me to ride a bicycle to the airport to receive VIPs? When I leave the office of the Mayor, I will not take the car with me. I will leave it to be used by the next Mayor,'' he said and blamed a section of the Press for instigating the Opposition against him.

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