Former Karnataka Chief Minister, B S Yediyurappa, fired back against accusations of corruption involving his son, B Y Vijayendra, the BJP state vice president, during a heated session on Saturday. He boldly stated his intention to exit politics if there is any merit to the allegations, which were hurled by opposition leader Siddaramaiah during a no-confidence motion against the BJP government.
The accusations stem from a sting operation conducted by a Kannada news channel, claiming a contractor awarded a Rs 666 crore project had transferred crores of rupees to Vijayendra via RTGS. The allegations ignited a fierce exchange, with Yediyurappa challenging Siddaramaiah to validate the claims and file a complaint with the Lokayukta and the Anti-Corruption Bureau.
The tumult escalated as BJP members rallied against Siddaramaiah for his allegations, while Congress MLAs leapt to Siddaramaiah’s defence. Amid the chaos, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister J C Madhuswamy disclosed that the accused contractor had filed a case against the television channel for its report.
Despite the rebuttals, Siddaramaiah remained steadfast, citing the public domain source from the TV channel, and called for a thorough inquiry to ascertain the truth.
The episode underscores the high-tension political climate in Bengaluru, with serious accusations threatening to unseat its Chief Minister.