Cong high command has not asked a penny for five state elections: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah

Mysuru (Karnataka), Oct 16 (IANS) Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has clarified that the Congress high command has not sought a penny from the state in the backdrop of assembly elections in five states.

Answering a question in this regard to reporters over BJP's allegations, Siddaramaiah stated that BJP's statement in this regard is baseless and politically motivated.

The BJP had alleged that the huge cash (Rs 42 crore) seized during the Income Tax department raids in Bengaluru was headed towards states facing elections especially to Telangana and Rajasthan. 

Siddramaiah stated that people of the state won't believe them even if they take up any protests in this regard. When asked that the money was allegedly found in a contractor's house attached to Congress party, the CM replied that he will say that the contractor is attached to the BJP. 

The I-T department has done its job. If the money is found in someone's house, it is not correct to give it political link. The protest is organised by the BJP only with a view of Lok Sabha elections. There is no need for the state government to conduct probe, he stated.

There is no connection between the elections held in other states and our state, he maintained.

Answering to former BJP National General Secretary C.T. Ravi's allegations that the leaders are given targets to collect money, Siddaramaiah stated that Ravi is known for coming up with lies. There is no need to answer to his lies. His statement is baseless, he added.

Talking about power crisis, the CM stated, due to shortage of rains, the power supply to pump sets of farmers is disrupted. "Normally, 10,000 mega watts was the demand till October. But, now due to failure of rains, the consumption has increased to 16,000 mega watts. There is a shortage of 2,000 mega watts. There is power crisis in the state. The directions are given to purchase electricity from other states," he said.

A meeting was held and directions were given to provide five hours of electricity in three phases to farmers. Action has been taken to ensure farmers are not affected with the load shedding, the CM said.

Among the total 236 taluks, 216 are drought-prone in the state. There is crop loss in 42,000 hectares and more than Rs 30,000 crore of crop is lost, he stated.