Ugrappa denies asking for luxury cars

Addressing reporters, he said he had only asked the Council Chairman Veeranna Mattikatti, in a letter dated January 1, 2009, to provide him with a better car which runs on diesel as he would be travelling across the State. “I thought I would save on fuel. So, I asked for a diesel car...I never asked the Government to provide me Rs 25 lakh worth four-wheeler,” he stated. Despite being in politics for 30 years, Ugrappa said, he still lives in a rented house and never wished to have comfort and luxury in life. Though he had got opportunities to go on foreign tour twice, he turned them down.

“Even today, I travel in economy class. I am not facing any charge of corruption during my long political career. If anybody proves that I am involved in any corrupt practice, I will immediately resign from my post,” he stated.

White paper

This apart, Ugrappa demanded that the Government should bring out a white paper on money being spent on the development of Bangalore. The Government has taken up Rs 800 crore worth developmental projects with an eye on coming BBMP elections. But it is not clarifying as to how much of it is Central funds, he said.

The BJP had claimed that it will spend around Rs 36,000 crore for Bangalore development in the next five years. In other words, around Rs 7,000 crore should be spent every year. But the Government has taken up projects worth only Rs 800 crore now, he added.