Congress’ ‘PayCM’ drive dirty politics: Bommai

Highlights

• BENGALURU/ CHITRADURGA/UDUPI: Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and senior BJP leaders on Saturday hit out at the Congress for its “PayCM” poster campaign against the government. While the CM termed it dirty politics by the Opposition party, Health and Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar said it is a campaign against the chief minister who is from the Lingayat community.

• Speaking to reporters at Sirigere village in Chitradurga district, the CM said the Congress is indulging in dirty politics and the government will initiate action against those involved in the ‘PayCM’ campaign.

  Bommai said if there were any issues, the Congress could have discussed it and presented proper documents, but they come to Assembly without proper preparation.

• Congress leaders are under the illusion of coming to power by defaming the BJP, which is not possible, the CM said, and added that the ruling party will return to power after the 2023 polls. Responding to a question on the NIA and police action against members of the Popular Front of India, the CM stated that proper legal action is being initiated. He, however, refused to react to Dr Sudhakar’s statement that a Lingayat community CM is being targeted by Congress leaders.

• “The campaign shows Congress leaders’ desperation, and they are doing it for political gains,” he said. By taking up such a campaign, the leaders have spoiled “1 or 2 per cent” chances they had in the state, he said. In Udupi, Energy Minister V Sunil Kumar said the Congress leaders are making baseless allegations against the BJP government.

• KPCC president DK Shivakumar, who is being questioned by the Enforcement Directorate, has pasted posters accusing the state government of corruption. Those who are involved in the Arkavathy de-notification scam and the Indira Canteen scam have no moral right to speak about corruption, he alleged.

POWER TARIFF
On the increase in power tariff from October 1, V Sunil Kumar added, “Power tariff is revised once a year based on the variation in input costs like the price of coal. So, to adjust to the coal price, the power bill was revised. For the past nine years, the price of coal is revised every three months.”