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Cong leaders caught on tape ‘linking Shivakumar to graft’
Party media coordinator M A Saleem and former Lok Sabha member VS Ugrappa were heard whispering in front of microphones and cameras of media organisations minutes before a press conference in Bengaluru on Tuesday. Video clips of the incident went viral on Wednesday.
The Congress in Karnataka was embarrassed on Wednesday after two party leaders were caught on tape purportedly linking state unit chief DK Shivakumar to allegations of corruption.
Party media coordinator M A Saleem and former Lok Sabha member VS Ugrappa were heard whispering in front of microphones and cameras of media organisations minutes before a press conference in Bengaluru on Tuesday. Video clips of the incident went viral on Wednesday.
In the roughly two-minute-long clip, Saleem and Ugrappa are heard purportedly talking about corruption and money being made by Shivakumar and people close to the leader. “If they have made 50-100 (crore) imagine how much he has, He is a collection giraki (customer),” Saleem is heard purportedly saying in Kannada and Ugrappa is passively lending an ear. The verbal exchange is caught on the microphones placed before them.
In reply, Ugrappa is purportedly heard saying that he did not know about these things.
Next, Saleem is heard hailing former chief minister Siddaramaiah and complaining that Shivakumar stammered in his speeches. The two senior leaders are old rivals.
After the video clip went viral, the Congress expelled Saleem for six years and issued a show-cause notice to Ugrappa, who is considered close to Siddaramaiah.
“Before the press conference, some internal conversations happened. Congress party keeps discipline in mind and the disciplinary committee will take appropriate action and we will all adhere to it,” Shivakumar said.
He added that he has no connection with the allegations but conceded that the entire episode was “embarrassing” to the party. “I was never part of any ‘percentage’ (share in contracts) and I don’t need it. I have no connection with it,” he said.
Ugrappa feigned innocence and said that he did not respond to Saleem and later pulled up the media coordinator for the statement.
“When I was about to start the press conference, he whispered something in my ear. There was an irrigation scam and he said that they are trying to make such allegations (against Shivakumar),” Ugrappa said. He added that Shivakumar is a good administrator, disciplined and a pro-people politician who was not into “percentage” politics.
The developments come at a time when the Congress is trying to win some ground back in the October 30 bypolls in Hanagal and Sindgi after a bitter loss in the 2019 general elections and later the collapse of its alliance government with the Janata Dal (Secular).
The Congress is also trying to mobilise support on the ground ahead of the yet-to-be announced zilla and taluka panchayat elections which is likely to provide a good indication of which way the 2023 assembly polls could go.
But its preparations have been marred by a bitter war between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, two of the party’s tallest leaders in the state who are vying to be the next chief ministerial candidate.
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) used the episode to attack the Congress.
“Former Congress MP V S Ugrappa and KPCC media coordinator Salim discuss how party president DK Shivakumar takes bribes and a close aid of his has made between 50-100 crores in collection. They are also discussing how he stutters while talking and as if he his drunk,” party leader Amit Malviya tweeted.
