Mayor trashes Oppn charge sheet, says BJP to blame for scams in Palike

Mayor B N Manjunath Reddy on Wednesday hit back at Opposition BJP leader in the Palike council Padmanabha Reddy for his 'charge sheet'.

Manjunath Reddy told reporters the bewilderment in the opposition camp is evident after the 'welfare-oriented realistic budget' tabled by the Congress. “The charge-sheet Padmanabha Reddy has brought out is not even fit for an FIR. He has resorted to a smear campaign in the wake of good budget we have tabled,” the Mayor said.

He said whatever scams Padmanabha Reddy has mentioned in his 'so-called' charge-sheet had happened during the BJP's tenure. Regarding the Python-2000 pothole-filling machine, Mayor said it was introduced by the BJP when it was ruling in the state as well as in the BBMP.

Financial discipline
Manjunath Reddy said, “The multi-hundred crore rupees fake bill scam is BJP's baby. The irregularities relating to Python-2000, white-topping on the BEL Road and even the recent Chamarajpet fake bill scam were all related to BJP's rule in the Palike. We, in fact, brought some financial discipline in the BBMP.”

He challenged the opposition BJP to approach the Bangalore Metropolitan Task Force (BMTF) and the Lokayukta if at all they have proof against the ruling Congress.Speaking on the occasion, floor leader of the BBMP Council R S Sathyanarayana termed the allegations by Padmanabha Reddy as publicity stunt which lacks any proof.

Gave contracts
“The advertisement scams took place between 2007 and 2012. When we came to power, we floated tenders related to advertisements and gave contracts,” said Sathyanarayana.

Taxation and finance committee chairperson M Shivaraju said the BJP's contribution to the City is that it had mortgaged many buildings, which Congress is getting back.
“We cleared loans on three properties and freed them from mortgage. Now we are in the process of getting two more properties,” said Shivaraju.

He added when Padmanabha Reddy was in the JD(S) he had accused the BJP of drowning the BBMP in debts.

“It was Padmanabha Reddy who had said that every citizen in Bengaluru has a debt of Rs 44,912 due to the BJP. Now he is trying to mislead people by levelling baseless allegations,” said Shivaraju.
DH News Service