'BBMP diverted special grants to pay contractors'

 The BBMP has diverted special grants released by the Centre and state government for paying contractors’ bills, according to BJP leader N R Ramesh.

Addressing a press meet on Tuesday, he said that 14 contractors with political backing have held the BBMP to ransom by stocking job codes of most of the works since 2013-14. “They are neither executing these works nor allowing others to take them up.” He claimed that the Palike would have to present a budget with an out­la­y of Rs 22,000 crore by inco­rporating provision for spillover works and pending bills.