“Will Resign Today If Corruption Charges Proved”: Karnataka Congress Minister

Bengaluru:

Accusing Karnataka Revenue Minister Krishna Byregowda of leveling corruption charges against him over public works in his constituency pending since 2013, senior Congress leader and MLA B R Patil on Tuesday demanded an inquiry into it and said he would resign if the allegations are proved.

Mr Patil wrote to Siddaramaiah, seeking a probe into the allegations that he took money to award the contract.

Ahead of the Belagavi legislature session, Mr Patil also said he felt it would not be appropriate for him to attend the proceedings until his name is cleared.

“The assembly session will take place from December 4 to 15. It will amount to accepting the charges if I attend the session with these accusations. This is not morally right,” Mr Patil said in the letter.

“Hence, I request you to bail me out by ordering an inquiry into the matter and if these allegations leveled against me are proved, then I will resign from the assembly today itself,” the MLA added.

The work dates back to 2013. Ahead of the assembly elections then, some work in his constituency was assigned to the Karnataka Rural Infrastructure Development Limited (KRIDL).

In order to avoid the process of issuing tenders, keeping in view the urgency of the work, the project was assigned to the KRIDL, Mr Patil mentioned in his letter to Siddaramaiah.

However, the project has not been completed yet and the quality of work is substandard, he complained, raising the matter in the previous session of the assembly.

In the absence of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge in the House, Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda responded.

According to the MLA, Mr Gowda asked him why he handed over the work to the KRIDL — which gave an impression that he (Patil) has taken money from KRIDL.

Patil then protested against the minister’s reply.

Reacting to Mr Patil’s letter, Siddaramaiah said he has not seen the letter.

“I have not received the letter yet. I need to see the letter first (to react),” the Chief Minister said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)