JOIN USTrapped corporator refuses to resign
Sampangi was the first public representative to be caught by the Lokayukta police while accepting a bribe, but refused to resign as MLA.
Govindaraju, a BBMP Corporator from the Ganesh Mandir Ward, too joined the ranks of Sampangi after he fell into the Lokayukta net while accepting a bribe of Rs two lakh from a builder.
Govindaraju’s party has disowned him, but he is firm about not disowning the BBMP and has refused to resign from the Palike Council.
“Why should I resign? Have the ‘gani dhanis’ (mining lords) and Sampangi resigned from the Assembly? Ask them first to resign, I will surely follow them,” Govindaraju remarked.
He blamed the former corporator of the ward A H Basavaraju for conniving with his financier
Udaya to trap him.
“Udaya had approached me saying that Kiran (Govindaraju’s friend) wanted to borrow money and wanted me to stand surety. Today Udaya met me and gave me money forcibly.
In the meantime, the Lokayukta police raided my place and caught me. I am innocent,” Govindaraju said in his defence. He added that he realised there was a possible nexus between Udaya and Basavaraju only after he was trapped.
Govindaraju criticised the ruling BJP saying: “The party has stooped so low that it is attempting to damage the Opposition members at the grassroots level.”
Congress dumps Govindaraju
Misfortune never comes alone. Soon after Congress Corporator Govindaraju was caught red-handed by the Lokayukta on Saturday evening, his party turned hostile towards him and showed him the door.
The Party State General Secretary H Abdul Wahab suspended him saying the incident affected the party’s image.