After PayCM, PayCS posters surface in Karnataka aiming the agricultural minister

Both Bharatiya Janata Party and Janata Dal (Secular) denied any such official campaign by their party members.

A few people in Karnataka’s Mandya started PayCS campaign on Thursday, targeting Karnataka agricultural minister N Chaluvarayaswamy who has been facing corruption allegations. The campaign followed a similar style of Congress’ PayCM campaign before the assembly elections, where it released a QR code with former CM Basavaraj Bommai picture on it. The police have also detained those who participated in the campaign and removed the posters with the pictures of the agricultural minister.

After PayCM, PayCS posters surface in Karnataka aiming the agri minister

The poster read, "PayCS, Six to eight lakh rupees accepted here. Scan this QR Code to make Chaluvarayaswamy pay for Karnataka Congress. For any transfer deal, PAYCS KARO."

According to news agency PTI, both Bharatiya Janata Party and Janata Dal (Secular) denied any such official campaign by their party members. BJP leader and party’s Mandya district head CP Umesh said, “There is no involvement of BJP in the campaign. I came to know that some BJP workers have been detained. I have no details of the arrest, but we are not involved. The people of Mandya have stood up against the minister." The JDS also said that they have no role in the campaign.

Last week, the Karnataka Governor’s Office received a letter written by seven officers from the agriculture department accusing the minister of demanding a bribe of ₹6 to 8 lakh. In the purported letter, officials mentioned that they would resort to extreme measures, like consuming poison, if no action was taken against the minister.

However, Chaluvarayaswamy denied any knowledge of the letters and labelled them as fake. He stated that he had not received any such communication and questioned the authority of the directors who penned the letters.

Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah also ordered the police department to probe the alleged fake letter which accused agriculture minister N Cheluvarayaswamy of corruption charges. The probe was later handed over to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

(With inputs from agencies)