The Karnataka Congress on Wednesday alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government is floating tenders in a hurry at inflated rates to collect funds for the party’s Assembly election campaign in the poll-bound state.
In a press conference held by leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah and Congress state president DK Shivakumar, the party claimed that tenders were issued at inflated values as high as 100% of the original value.
Shivakumar alleged that the chief minister’s office was involved in collecting commissions while clearing old bills and approving new projects. He alleged that BJP ministers and MLAs had been given the freedom to finalise contractors and were allotting tenders to contractors ready to provide funds for the upcoming elections.
“If the actual tender cost is ₹500 crore, it is being inflated to ₹1,000 crore. We are ready to provide proof. In some cases, this is happening with Cabinet approval, but in other cases it is happening without Cabinet approval in a hurry within seven days. MLAs are given charge of such projects, and they are finalising the transactions with the promise by contractors of giving a certain sum of money before the election process kicks in,” alleged Shivakumar.
Siddaramaiah, also the former chief minsiter, alleged that there is no transparency in the process and tender money has been doubled or tripled. Contractors, he said, are being selected based on the highest commission they offer, which is a continuation of the 40% commission common in the state. “The government is giving tenders to those who paid more commission, whereas they should give them to the one who is best qualified. This is the part where a 40% commission is advanced. We are investigating those who are accused of corruption and favouritism. We warned the government and contract officials earlier. We will go to court,” Siddaramaiah said.
Shivakumar also highlighted a letter by BJP legislator Goolihatti Shekhar in which the MLA had written to the additional chief secretary of the Water Resources Department to revoke tenders worth ₹22,2000 crore of the Upper Bhadra project.
In his letter Gulihatti D Shekar alleged that tenders worth ₹18,000 crore had been awarded in different boards of the corporation almost on the same day by making illegal conduct. “The Krishna Bhagya Jala Nigam Ltd.(KBJNL), Visveswaraya Jala Nigam Limited (VJNL), Karnataka Neeravari Nigam Limited (KNNL) and other irrigation corporations are involved in the illegality of decisions in the boards for works amounting to ₹18,000 crore, and there is a lack of transparency in the tenders of ₹4,200 crore called in VJNL,” the letter said.
He further stated that there were loopholes in the tenders that called for the introduction of drip irrigation systems and the filling of water to the lake through a pipeline in Hosadurga, Jagalur, Kadur, and other taluks.
Reacting to the allegations, chief minister Basavaraj Bommai said he will answer to the Congress in the Assembly. “Congress has experience of giving such tenders. We all know what Siddaramaiah did in the irrigation department,” CM said.