Last Updated: January 16, 2023, 7:23 PM IST
(Right) MLA G H Thippareddy and R Manjunath. (News18)
The contractor alleges the leader used hand gestures to indicate if he wants 5%, 10% or 15% of the total value of the project as bribe. “He wants no one to question him or come in his way, even the officials,” says Thippareddy
Ahead of the elections, R Manjunath, working president of the Karnataka Contractors’ Association, recently released an audio clip of a purported conversation with Bharatiya Janata Party’s Chitradurga MLA G H Thippareddy and alleged that he had paid Rs 90 lakh bribe to the MLA for various government construction projects. The contractor further alleged the leader is demanding bribe to clear his Rs 6 crore pending in bills. Terming the allegations a “big lie”, Thippareddy said that the contractor was making these claims as the polls were nearing.
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THE ALLEGATIONS
“BJP Chitradurga MLA Thippareddy started corruption in Chitradurga. We have audio clips and all documents for proof. We wrote letters from the association, but they called us and asked why we sent the letters,” alleged R Manjunath.
The contractor further alleged, “Since 2019, I have paid Rs 90 lakh bribe to Thippareddy. My Rs 6-crore bills are yet to be cleared. He is demanding bribe to clear those bills.”
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The contractor alleged the leader used hand gestures to indicate if he wants 5%, 10% or 15% of the total value of the project as bribe. The contractor also alleged that almost 13 MLAs and a few ministers cutting across parties are involved in corruption.
THE RESPONSE
When CNN-News18 reached out to Thippareddy, the MLA said: “He can say whatever he wants, what can I do about it? I’m telling this is a lie. Let me see what comes ahead. There’s no need for me to go big for this person. Elections are nearing which is why he’s doing it. He wants no one to question him or come in his way, even the officials. We will take this matter to the court and sue him,” said Thippareddy.
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IN APRIL 2022
In April 2022, the Karnataka State Contractors’ Association had alleged that the CM Basavaraj Bommai-led administration and elected representatives had demanded up to 40% commission, and had written to PM Modi about the alleged malpractices of the state government.
The association had also decided not to take on any new project until these bottlenecks, including the clearance of pending payments, were resolved.
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