Karnataka BJP MLA offers Rs 6000 per vote, Congress asks EC to step in
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Bengaluru: The Congress party asked the Election Commission to take note of the offer of money for votes made by a senior BJP leader in Karnataka.
Ramesh Jarkiholi, Karnataka’s former water resources minister, promised a gathering that his party would pay Rs 6000 for a vote in the upcoming assembly polls, The News Minutes reported.
Jarkiholi, addressing a party meeting at Sulebhavi village in Belagavi, said Congress MLA Lakshmi Hebbalkar for Belagavi rural constituency must have given gifts worth Rs 1000 such as kitchen appliances including cooker and mixer.
“Together, all of them may cost around Rs 3000. I urge you not to vote for our candidate if we do not give you Rs 6000,” Jarkiholi reportedly said stirring up a controversy.
The statement by Jarkiholi, who is representing the Gokak constituency, made the state BJP leadership answerable to the questions of entrenched corruption.
Denying the allegations, the state’s irrigation minister Govind Karjol said “If one person makes a statement, it is not the statement of the party. It is his opinion.”
Lakshmi Hebbalkar said in response to Jakriholi that the Election Commission is watching and that Karnataka has laws.
Alleging corruption in the BJP, Congress MLA Priyank Kharge wondered why the Income Tax department or the Enforcement Directorate was not taking note of Ramesh Jarkiholi’s statement.
“There are two and a half lakh voters. This is not a joke. Isn’t this malpractice? Where is BJP getting all this money from?” He reportedly said.