Siddaramaiah challenges K'taka CM Bommai for open discussion on corruption

Senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah on Sunday challenged Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai for an open discussion on corruption at the time and venue of his choice.

Calling the present administration as a "40 per cent sarakar" filled with "looters and scamsters", the former Chief Minister, in a series of tweets, pointing out that BJP leaders claiming that they will expose scandals of his government, challenged them to do so.

Siddaramaiah was reacting to the ruling BJP leaders on Saturday going after him at their party's massive 'Janaspandana' rally in Doddaballapur.

In a fierce speech, Bommai had even said that the real face of the Congress will be out in the days to come and all of Siddaramaiah's scams will be exposed soon.

"Let Bommai first clean his own house. 40 per cent sarakar is filled with looters and scamsters. Bommai, I challenge you for an open discussion on corruption. We are always ready. You fix the time and venue, and we will come," Siddaramaiah said.

"BJP leaders are claiming that they will expose scandals of our times. I challenge them to do that. I am ready to face it. Blackmail techniques won't work on me. High Court notice was issued to B S Yediyurappa (senior BJP leader and former CM) and not me. I suspect that Bommai actually targeted Yediyurappa," he said.

Amid allegations of corruptions and scams giving negative publicity to his government, Bommai had on Saturday targeted Siddaramaiah accusing him of presiding over scams when the Congress was in power from 2013-18.

Mocking Bommai's speech on Saturday as "heroic", Siddaramaiah said, " Sangh Parivar will not tolerate such display of heroism. Don't forget that Yediyurappa unfortunately went to jail for performing similar acts."

Claiming that empty chairs at the BJP's Saturday rally clearly indicate that people have rejected them, he said, "Bommai, even you are aware that you are incapable of challenging us. If you think you are courageous enough, first expand the Cabinet or even at least take action against Yatnal (BJP MLA Basangouda Patil Yatnal who has been openly criticising certain affairs in the party).