Is CM post ‘payment seat’ in BJP? asks Siddaramaiah

Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah on Saturday demanded a probe into senior BJP leader and MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal’s claims on payment of ₹2,500 crore for the Chief Minister’s post and ₹100 crore per ministerial berths in the ruling BJP Government in the State.

“The allegation by Mr. Yatnal that the demand for ₹2,500 crore to make him the Chief Minister is a serious issue. Only an investigation will reveal the truth,” he said in a press statement here.

“If the investigation is not conducted, it only implies that Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has accepted to have paid crores of rupees to become the Chief Minister,” he said.

Mr. Yatnal’s statement indicated the volume of the BJP’s corruption. He should be called for investigation, Mr. Siddaramaiah said. Mr Yatnal has revealed that the Chief Minister’s chair was a “payment seat” and bought through “auction”, he said. “There should also be investigation on how much money is being paid by defected candidates to the BJP leadership,” he added.

Connected scams

There was a link to Mr. Yatnal’s allegation and the scams in the government such as 40% commission from contractors, PSI scam, assistant professor recruitment scam, and scam in the Health Department. All these scams need to be investigated, the Opposition leader said.

Those who have made payments to be the Chief Minister and Ministers have entered into commission business. “Mr. Yatnal’s allegations are not new. He has previously made allegations against the Chief Minister, and Ministers on various scams. Why is their high command silent? Is this their approval?” Mr. Siddaramaiah asked.