There is no link between Congress and IT raids on contractors: Siddaramaiah

Mysuru, DHNS: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said the opposition parties are making baseless allegations and issuing politically motivated statements linking Congress to the IT raids on contractors.

Speaking to reporters in Mysuru, on Monday morning, Siddaramaiah said, "There are no such BJP contractors or Congress contractors. I call them as BJP contractors. Has the IT department levelled allegations on the government. It is all baseless allegations". 

To a query on BJP staging protests at the district level against Congress, Siddaramaiah said that people will not believe them. They are involved in protests and allegations in view of upcoming Lok Sabha and elections in five states. Commenting on allegations by former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy, that a probe should be conducted on the IT raid, why should we conduct a probe. It is an IT raid. There is no need for any probe", he said.

On allegations that the Congress high command has given a target to state Congress to collect crores of funds in view of elections to other states, Siddaramaiah said, it is not true. The high command has not even sought a single rupee. On the farmers' protest on load shedding, Siddaramaiah said, there is shortage of power due to deficit rains. The pumpsets require more power to pump water.

For example, if 10,000 megawatt was required for October, it has escalated to 16,000 megawatt. I have instructed the officials to provide five hours continuous three-phase power supply, in batch and shift wise for the benefit of farmers. I have also directed to purchase power to resolve shortage and insisted on co-generation of power from sugarcane factories. There is no dearth of fodder as of now. The officials have been directed to ensure fodder is grown and stocked. It is ensured that there should be no shortage of water, fodder and work for the people, the CM said.