BANGALORE: The Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) has released a video alleging that Congress leader and former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah asked party leaders to bring people after paying Rs.500 to partake in the party rally. In the video released by BJP's Karnataka unit on Twitter, Siddaramaiah, travelling in a bus with Congress state leaders, is seen saying this.
In the video, Siddaramaiah can be seen chatting with KPCC working president Satish Jarkiholi, MLA Laxmi Hebbalkar, and MLC Channaraj Hattiholi, among others.
It is not clear as to when the video was taken. It appears to have been captured during a recent visit by the former chief minister to Belagavi as part of the party's "Praja Dwani" bus yatra in advance of the Assembly elections, which are scheduled for May.
By sharing the video, the state BJP has criticised the Congress leader.
State Congress president D K Shivakumar responded to the video by saying, "It's not true, we're not encouraging anyone, and there's no need for us to offer money because we don't have such a habit."
In Belagavi, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai observed, "There is nothing novel or unexpected about Congress paying money and bringing people; it is tradition. People are aware of it and it is part of their tradition. Such behaviour on the part of Congress has just come to light."
However, KPCC chief D.K Shivakumar ruled out the allegations and said the video is fake and the party is not in the habit of bringing people after paying money to participate in the rallies.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai alleged that it is nothing new or surprise in the incident and the practice of bringing people on payment has been done by the Congress for a long time.
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