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Siddaramaiah’s adviser’s declaration on corruption and Centre’s decision to hike prices of LPG and excise duties on petrol and diesel have left the Congress and BJP red-faced in Karnataka
Members of Karnataka Mahila Congress raise slogans during a protest against the recent hike in LPG price by Rs 50 per cylinder in Bengaluru. (PTI)
The Congress and the BJP have managed to score self-goals—one tripping over corruption, the other stumbling on price hikes—in Karnataka.
The ruling party in Karnataka rode to power on the back of corruption allegations against the BJP, accusing the previous government of charging a 40 per cent commission on development works. Now, in an ironic twist, the Congress finds itself in an embarrassing spot.
Chief minister Siddaramaiah’s own economic adviser and Yelaburga MLA, Basavaraj Rayareddy, declared that “Karnataka is number one in corruption”. The statement came during a district-level interaction organised by the Regional Imbalance Redressal Committee in Koppal on April 8.
The ‘40 per cent commission’ allegation made by the Congress against the then BJP-led Basavaraj Bommai government had rocked state politics and became a major poll plank, helping Congress wrest power in the 2023 assembly elections.
Rayareddy had stirred trouble last year too. He claimed the state had no money for development works due to the burden of Congress’ guarantee schemes, which cost nearly Rs 65,000 crore annually. “Many legislators have been demanding funds for development in their constituencies, but there is no money with the government to give them,” he had said in July 2023.
The Congress had promised five guarantees—free power, free bus rides, stipends for women heads of families, among others—during its campaign.
Rayareddy’s latest bombshell: corruption is especially rampant in Kalyana Karnataka. “Government buildings are becoming dilapidated within 10 years. Earlier, they would last two to three decades. That’s the scale of corruption,” he said. He added that the problem persists across party lines, but the political damage was already done.
He didn’t spare the bureaucracy either, saying officials behave like elected representatives. “The chief minister may have his own views on corruption, but mine are different.”
The opposition BJP found a new stick to beat the Congress with, thanks to this rather candid confession, and the saffron party pounced on the opportunity.
BJP state president BY Vijayendra said Rayareddy had “exposed the dark face of this government’s corruption”. Addressing Siddaramaiah, Vijayendra said Rayareddy’s remarks reflect the proverb: “As the king, so are his ministers and officials.”
“He has shown how Karnataka, under your administration, has become synonymous with corruption on the national stage, bringing shame to the state,” Vijayendra said. He accused the Congress of misleading the public with false charges against the Bommai-led BJP, only to be exposed now by one of their own.
“It was falsely accused and defamed as a 40 per cent commission government,” Vijayendra claimed. “With such propaganda, you misled the people and painted yourselves as the only honest ones. Now, that mask has fallen,” he added.
The JD(S) was quick to pile on.
“The chief minister’s economic adviser himself has claimed that Karnataka is number one in corruption—I thank Rayareddy for calling out the rot in the ruling party,” said JD(S) leader Nikhil Kumaraswamy. He also pointed out that Rayareddy had earlier flagged how the guarantee schemes were affecting the state’s development.
Meanwhile, the Justice Nagamohan Das Committee, set up to probe the “40 per cent commission” charges against the previous BJP government, submitted its interim report on March 12. It found no concrete evidence to support the Contractors’ Association’s allegations, though it admitted corruption exists in the tendering process.
And now, the BJP’s self-goal…
The BJP’s ‘Jan Akrosh Yatra’—launched in Mysuru on April 7—was meant to whip up public anger against the Congress government over price hikes and alleged mis-governance. But just as BJP leaders began marching across districts slamming the state government, the Centre handed them an awkward moment.
Even as the Karnataka BJP rallied against price hikes on fuel, milk, electricity, healthcare, and more, the Union finance ministry hiked excise duties on petrol and diesel by Rs 2 per litre. Domestic LPG cylinder prices were also increased by Rs 50.
The Congress found an opportunity to retaliate., with deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar mocking the BJP’s campaign: “Namaskar to all my BJP friends. You all are doing ‘Jan Akrosh Yatra’. I congratulate you. But your own BJP government at the Centre has hiked the price of petrol, diesel and gas. So, your ‘Jan Akrosh Yatra’ should go on with the BJP—it’s your party.”
He urged them—tongue firmly in cheek—to take their protests to Delhi. “Wish you all the best to protest against your central leadership and solve your problems.”
On April 3, Leader of Opposition R Ashoka accused Siddaramaiah of “stealing through taxes” and Shivakumar of “stealing through commissions”. He also spoke of the increased liquor prices, calling it an indirect tax to extract money from alcohol lovers.
The Union ministry of petroleum later clarified that despite the excise duty hike, retail prices of petrol and diesel would not change. “PSU Oil Marketing Companies have informed that there will be no increase,” it posted on X.
Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri defended the LPG price hike, saying it would help oil marketing companies recover international losses. Regular cylinders will now cost Rs 1,028, with Ujjwala beneficiaries still getting them at Rs 553. A Rs 175 discount applies to regular users, reducing their cost to Rs 853.
Adding to BJP’s awkwardness, its alliance partner JD(S) was conspicuously absent from the Jan Akrosh Yatra. They have decided to launch their own campaign against the Congress called ‘Saakappa Saku’ (meaning Enough Is Enough), which will be launched on April 12 with Union minister HD Kumaraswamy and his son Nikhil in the lead.
On not joining the BJP campaign in the state, JD(S) MLC CB Suresh Babu explained that decisions were made quickly and there was no time to plan the JDS involvement. Insiders, however, said it would have put Kumaraswamy in a spot. But Kumaraswamy played down the issue, promising to form a coordination committee with the BJP for smoother collaboration.
