Ex-Union minister claims Siddaramaiah 'bought' votes to win 2018 Badami polls; BJP wants probe

New Delhi: BJP Rajya Sabha member Lahar Singh Siroya on Tuesday urged the Election Commission of India to probe the claims made by former Union Minister C M Ibrahim that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had purchased 3,000 votes in Badami assembly segment in 2018 Karnataka Assembly elections to ensure his victory.

In a letter to the ECI, along with an online link to the contents of Ibrahim’s speech, the BJP leader said the former Union minister’s claim should be probed by the ECI as it amounts to gross electoral corruption.

In his letter, Siroya said that Ibrahim, then close associate of Siddaramaiah, had said that he, along with senior Congress leader B B Chimankatti, helped purchase 3000 votes in 2018, so that Siddaramaiah could scrape through the assembly election from the Badami seat.

In the final count, Siddaramaiah’s victory margin in Badami was a mere 1696 votes. It was a humiliating margin for a sitting chief minister. The NOTA votes, which were in 2007, were higher than his victory margin, Siroya said in his letter.

Ibrahim was a prominent Congress leader in 2018, and by all references and claims, was in-charge of his friend’s election, the BJP leader said.

Ibrahim had also said Siddaramaiah had paid for this purchase, but took six months to make the payment. The ECI may want to take note of this claim of gross electoral corruption from someone who has been a lawmaker and a union minister himself, and order an investigation, Siroya said in his letter. BJP leader B Sriramulu lost against Siddaramaiah in 2018 polls in Badami segment.

Speaking at an event in Mysuru, Ibrahim had recounted a conversation with Siddaramaiah after his lead had dwindled significantly. “His lead came down from 10,000 to 1,000. I told him he will win by 1,000 odd votes, we took a loan and we have purchased 3,000 votes. I have no fear telling this," Ibrahim stated. He also claimed that Siddaramaiah had paid for the purchase, albeit six months later.

Siroya also said that Ibrahim should also open up how Siddaramaiah won in 2006 bypolls from Chamundeshwari assembly segment where his victor margin was just 257 votes.

Earlier, Siddaramaiah, in response to the allegations, distanced himself from Ibrahim’s claims.