<p>In poll-bound Karnataka, the Congress has mounted an aggressive pitch with the 'PayCM' QR code campaign seeking to put the ruling BJP on the mat as it pushes to make corruption a central theme of the state's political narrative.</p>.<p>The campaign targeting Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has rattled the BJP which is preparing to launch a similar offensive against the Congress.</p>.<p>Bommai has termed the campaign as 'dirty politics' of the Congress in Karnataka, where Assembly elections are due in about seven months.</p>.<p>"The Congress is under the illusion that it can come to power through its dirty politics of misleading people. This will never be possible in Karnataka," the Chief Minister said.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/state/karnataka-politics/paycm-row-ktaka-cm-bommai-says-congress-is-playing-dirty-politics-1147922.html">PayCM row: K'taka CM Bommai says Congress is playing dirty politics</a></strong></p>.<p>According to a BJP insider, the party is planning a QR code campaign of vast scale to counter the Congress and expose its "wrongdoings in the past".</p>.<p>The BJP was taken by surprise as the Congress-sponsored 'PayCM' posters dotted many public walls in prime areas of the city last week.</p>.<p>Resembling payment platform Paytm's advertisements, the poster had the Chief Minister's image in the middle of a QR code. Upon scanning, the QR code redirects one to a portal https://40percentsarkara.com/#/home.</p>.<p>Congress claims there were various scams, and contractors have to shell out a 40 per cent commission (bribe) to secure public contracts.</p>.<p><strong>Also read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/state/top-karnataka-stories/paycm-posters-bengaluru-police-detain-three-congress-workers-1147226.html" target="_blank">'PayCM' posters: Bengaluru police detain three Congress workers</a></strong></p>.<p>The Congress portal also provides a 'bribe rate card' alleging various percentages of commission in public works such as 75 per cent in Covid-19 supplies, 40 per cent in PWD and other civil contracts and 30 per cent in egg supply.</p>.<p>It also alleged that one has to pay bribes ranging from Rs 8 lakh to Rs 16 crore to get a plum posting or a government job.</p>.<p>The portal carries some statements including one by Nagaraju from Kolar who is quoted as saying that he was asked to pay a bribe of Rs 15,000 to the sub-registrar for the registration of a plot (site) but when he refused, the registration got delayed.</p>.<p>A realtor Shivanna (name changed) from Bengaluru wondered whether paying bribes to the sub-registrar started only in recent times.</p>.<p>"Paying bribes to sub-registrars has been there for ages. It has been institutionalised and no government ever made efforts to stop it, be it Congress, BJP or the JD(S)," he said.</p>.<p>The portal has videos too which are the clippings of the reports that appeared on various news channels.</p>.<p>Stung by the Congress campaign, the BJP launched a counter-offensive.</p>.<p>It started 'Scam Ramaiah' campaign highlighting various "scams" that took place during the Congress regime led by Siddaramaiah from 2013 to 2018.</p>.<p>It also released a booklet, targeting Siddaramaiah (now Leader of Opposition in Assembly), saying that he ran a '100 per cent loot Congress government'.</p>.<p>The booklet has the clippings of newspaper reports on "scams" that had taken place when Siddaramaiah was the Chief Minister. </p>
<p>In poll-bound Karnataka, the Congress has mounted an aggressive pitch with the 'PayCM' QR code campaign seeking to put the ruling BJP on the mat as it pushes to make corruption a central theme of the state's political narrative.</p>.<p>The campaign targeting Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has rattled the BJP which is preparing to launch a similar offensive against the Congress.</p>.<p>Bommai has termed the campaign as 'dirty politics' of the Congress in Karnataka, where Assembly elections are due in about seven months.</p>.<p>"The Congress is under the illusion that it can come to power through its dirty politics of misleading people. This will never be possible in Karnataka," the Chief Minister said.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/state/karnataka-politics/paycm-row-ktaka-cm-bommai-says-congress-is-playing-dirty-politics-1147922.html">PayCM row: K'taka CM Bommai says Congress is playing dirty politics</a></strong></p>.<p>According to a BJP insider, the party is planning a QR code campaign of vast scale to counter the Congress and expose its "wrongdoings in the past".</p>.<p>The BJP was taken by surprise as the Congress-sponsored 'PayCM' posters dotted many public walls in prime areas of the city last week.</p>.<p>Resembling payment platform Paytm's advertisements, the poster had the Chief Minister's image in the middle of a QR code. Upon scanning, the QR code redirects one to a portal https://40percentsarkara.com/#/home.</p>.<p>Congress claims there were various scams, and contractors have to shell out a 40 per cent commission (bribe) to secure public contracts.</p>.<p><strong>Also read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/state/top-karnataka-stories/paycm-posters-bengaluru-police-detain-three-congress-workers-1147226.html" target="_blank">'PayCM' posters: Bengaluru police detain three Congress workers</a></strong></p>.<p>The Congress portal also provides a 'bribe rate card' alleging various percentages of commission in public works such as 75 per cent in Covid-19 supplies, 40 per cent in PWD and other civil contracts and 30 per cent in egg supply.</p>.<p>It also alleged that one has to pay bribes ranging from Rs 8 lakh to Rs 16 crore to get a plum posting or a government job.</p>.<p>The portal carries some statements including one by Nagaraju from Kolar who is quoted as saying that he was asked to pay a bribe of Rs 15,000 to the sub-registrar for the registration of a plot (site) but when he refused, the registration got delayed.</p>.<p>A realtor Shivanna (name changed) from Bengaluru wondered whether paying bribes to the sub-registrar started only in recent times.</p>.<p>"Paying bribes to sub-registrars has been there for ages. It has been institutionalised and no government ever made efforts to stop it, be it Congress, BJP or the JD(S)," he said.</p>.<p>The portal has videos too which are the clippings of the reports that appeared on various news channels.</p>.<p>Stung by the Congress campaign, the BJP launched a counter-offensive.</p>.<p>It started 'Scam Ramaiah' campaign highlighting various "scams" that took place during the Congress regime led by Siddaramaiah from 2013 to 2018.</p>.<p>It also released a booklet, targeting Siddaramaiah (now Leader of Opposition in Assembly), saying that he ran a '100 per cent loot Congress government'.</p>.<p>The booklet has the clippings of newspaper reports on "scams" that had taken place when Siddaramaiah was the Chief Minister. </p>