Karnataka: 2 BJP lawmakers stare at disqualification over poll expenses

Sharing a stage with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his recent election campaign in Ankola could prove costly for two BJP MLAs from Uttara Kannada district - Shivaram Hebbar and Dinakar Shetty. They could be disqualified for six years if they fail to produce poll expenditure within the stipulated limits.

Former minister Hebbar and MLA Shetty were among the six BJP aspirants who shared the stage with PM Modi on May 3. The district expenditure observation committee has calculated the total expenditure of the stage event to be Rs 1.10 crore. As the candidates shared the stage, the cost had to be shared by all, resulting in each candidate’s poll expenditure to be Rs 18.33 lakh.

Along with this, the event also saw the hiring of nearly 800 buses, including 150 buses from Goa’s Kadamba, to ferry people to the public event. While Karnataka road transport corporations have charged the ‘organisers’ Rs 1.35 crore, the Goa public transport is ‘reluctant’ to provide details of the expenditure. If this is added to the poll expenditure of the candidates, the six candidates will cross the maximum limit of Rs 40 lakh that the election commission has set for each candidate in the assembly polls.

The district expenditure observers had sought a reply from the six candidates regarding details of total expenditure. “The candidates have challenged the rates at which the expenditure was calculated by the officials. We had factored in the rates the election commission had set,” said District Expenditure Observer Satish G Pawar.

Sources in the district administration also claimed that apart from the Modi event each of the candidates have also spent money on individual rallies, pamphlets, publicity materials and others. Some of them had even shared a stage when Uttara Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath at a public rally. “If all these factors are considered the total expenditure will cross the Rs 40 lakh mark,” said the officer.

'Modi fans hired buses'

However, all six BJP candidates have distanced themselves from hiring buses. “We have nothing to do with hiring buses. Modi’s fans, who wanted to attend the event had hired the buses, jeeps, taxis and other modes of transport to attend the event,” said Shetty. He claimed that his total poll expenditure after participating in Modi and Yogi’s event was Rs 37 lakh.

Deputy Commissioner Prabhuling Kavalikatti said the local returning officials have filed FIR against people (approximately 150 persons) who had hired the buses for the event.

“The returning officers have also written letters to the Goa government seeking details regarding the persons who have hired Kadamba buses. They have to provide the details under the Under the Representation of People Act. Based on the data collected the district administration will send a report to the Election commission for further action,” he said.

Hebbar claimed that so far he has not received any notice from the election commission and will respond in legal terms if he receives one.