The main group for contractors has asked seven ministers, including Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, to pay off pending bills totaling around Rs 30,000 crore. They want this issue resolved within a week. Some leaders in the government have been accused by contractors of asking for a share of money when contracts are awarded. This demand comes as some contractors have reportedly taken drastic actions due to unpaid bills. Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy has criticized the ruling Congress party, claiming that bribes have increased to 60%.
The letter was sent to several ministers, including Priyank Kharge, BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan, Ns Boseraju, Dinesh Gundu Rao, HC Mahadevappa, Rahim Khan, and Shivakumar. The group is requesting a meeting to discuss the payment of bills and has previously complained about not receiving responses to their earlier letters. They warned that if the ministers do not act within a week, they will escalate the matter to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
Priyank Kharge acknowledged that ministers are talking to contractors and mentioned that these pending bills date back to the previous government. He stated that contractors have the right to protest if they choose. C Narayanaswamy, the opposition leader from the BJP, noted that the government owes Rs 32,000 crore to contractors and that payments only go to those with good connections. This situation puts pressure on Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s government, especially as the budget is set to be revealed in March.
When the Congress party campaigned for the elections in May 2023, they accused the BJP of taking a “40% cut” from contractors. This claim impacted the BJP negatively, and opposition parties are now using the same accusations against the Congress party.
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