Meta apologises for inaccurate translation implying Siddaramaiah 'passed way'
Karnataka CM SiddaramaiahIANS

The Karnataka Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced its intention to approach the State Election Commission to address allegations of vote-buying involving Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

This move comes amid a growing controversy surrounding the alleged electoral malpractice, which has the potential to escalate tensions between the ruling Congress and the opposition BJP in Karnataka.

The announcement was made by Karnataka BJP President and Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) B.Y. Vijayendra at the Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru. Vijayendra's statement was in response to questions regarding the claims made by former senior Congress leader C.M. Ibrahim and an alleged audio clip featuring Congress MLA Shivalinge Gowda. In the audio, Gowda purportedly discusses the purchase of votes, raising serious concerns about the integrity of the electoral process.

"There are two issues — one regarding MLA Shivalinge Gowda's statement and the other regarding C.M. Ibrahim, a close associate of Siddaramaiah. Ibrahim has claimed that votes were purchased in the Assembly election in which Siddaramaiah won by a narrow margin," Vijayendra stated. He further emphasized the seriousness of the allegations, noting that Siddaramaiah's victory in the crucial Assembly election was by a margin of only 2,000 to 3,000 votes. "The BJP will take up this issue seriously. Maybe by tomorrow or the day after, we will approach the State Election Commission and demand a thorough investigation," he added.

The controversy gained further traction when BJP Rajya Sabha member Lahar Singh Siroya lodged a complaint with the Election Commission of India (ECI) over Ibrahim's claim that 3,000 votes were allegedly bought for Siddaramaiah in 2018.

BY Vijayendra
Karnataka BJP President B.Y. VijayendraIANS

On Sunday, Siroya urged the ECI to investigate an audio clip allegedly featuring Arasikere Congress MLA Shivalinge Gowda, who claimed that money was distributed in the Hassan constituency during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The audio clip purportedly captures a conversation between Gowda and a Congress Rajya Sabha MP about the amount of money to be distributed per voter in the Hassan parliamentary seat to secure the party candidate's victory.

Escalating political tensions

In addition to the vote-buying allegations, Vijayendra also raised concerns about the financial condition of Karnataka under the current government. He alleged that the state's finances have deteriorated to the point where the government is unable to release pensions for freedom fighters.

"The government has withheld Rs 4.08 crore in this regard. When we question this, CM Siddaramaiah claims the state economy is vibrant. The financial condition is so pathetic that the government is unable to release money even from the CM's relief fund. The CM should answer this," Vijayendra demanded.

The BJP leader also highlighted issues related to the Tungabhadra dam, where the 19th crest gate broke in August last year, causing distress among farmers. "Thousands of cusecs of water meant to be utilised throughout the year went into the sea. The government has not found a permanent solution. Due to this delay, pressure shifted to other crest gates, and now all 33 gates of the Tungabhadra dam need to be replaced immediately," he underlined. Vijayendra criticized the state government's negligence, which has forced farmers in Koppal, Raichur, and Ballari districts to grow only one crop instead of two.