Valmiki corporation scam money was used to fund Lok Sabha elections, allege Karnataka BJP leaders

Among the first to allude that the ruling Congress misused the funds for polls was BJP state president and Shikaripura MLA B Y Vijayendra. “The money (from KMVSTDC) was illegally sent during Lok Sabha polls,” he said, prompting Home Minister G Parameshwara to intervene. Since multiple agencies are probing the case, such allegations cannot be made, the minister said, evoking a strong response from BJP members.

BJP MLA Sunil Kumar countered the minister asking him to clarify whether Congress “spent the money for elections at Ballari or Amethi”. Congress legislators protested the remarks and raised slogans against the BJP. The House was adjourned for a few minutes as opposition MLAs started to counter by raising their own slogans.

When the House reconvened, BJP MLA and former Home Minister Araga Jnanendra raised questions on the probe being carried out by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) and said that a main accused in the case – Satyanarayana Verma – has sought protection in front of the magistrate. The SIT, he said, is yet to seize his mobile phones as “there would be a major twist in the case if his devices were recovered”.

Leader of Opposition (LoP) R Ashok stepped in and claimed that the remand application of former minister B Nagendra – who was arrested recently – said the money was used for elections.

Several ministers of the Siddaramaiah Cabinet rose in unison asking for documentary proof for the allegations levelled by Ashok. Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda demanded the LoP to submit relevant documents to the House before making such claims, resulting in another round of pandemonium in the Assembly.

Senior BJP legislator Basangouda Patil Yatnal, who spoke later, alleged that the government was looking to hush up the case by hurriedly constituting a SIT to probe it. “They know that if Nagendra opens his mouth, even people in Delhi (Congress high command) will have to go to jail,” Yatnal said, amidst cries of protest from the treasury benches.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is scheduled to issue a response regarding the scam on Thursday.