Bengaluru, June 22 (IANS) Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy on Monday levelled serious allegations against the Congress government in Karnataka, claiming that the party is using the state’s resources for elections across the country.

Commenting on the proposed expansion of the Karnataka Cabinet, Kumaraswamy alleged that a “management quota” system has been introduced in the process of inducting ministers.

Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, he claimed that intense lobbying is underway among aspirants seeking ministerial berths in the Cabinet headed by Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and alleged that positions are being secured through either a “management quota” or a “payment quota”.

The Union Minister further alleged that money is being collected from ministerial aspirants.

“There is information that D.K. Shivakumar is extracting money from MLAs on the pretext that it has to be paid to the High Command. It appears that five per cent of the seats have been earmarked under a ‘management quota’, while 95 per cent have been reserved under a ‘payment quota’,” he claimed.

In a sarcastic remark, Kumaraswamy said that only those capable of securing such “payment seats” would ultimately qualify to become ministers.

“That perhaps explains why the Cabinet expansion is getting delayed,” he remarked.

Drawing an analogy with admissions to professional courses, Kumaraswamy said: “I have heard of government quota seats and management quota seats in professional education. But in Karnataka, a new system seems to have emerged for Cabinet induction — a High Command quota and a management quota. If one wishes to become a minister, one must apparently pay. Collections are allegedly being made without any restraint,” he alleged.

Kumaraswamy further claimed that Chief Minister Shivakumar has stated that he would make Rahul Gandhi the Prime Minister and alleged that Karnataka’s resources are being used to conduct election campaigns across the country.

Commenting on cross-voting in the Legislative Council elections, Kumaraswamy said that if BJP leaders planned to hold a legislative party meeting at the Hindu pilgrimage centre of Dharmasthala, he would not object.

However, he described the council elections as a “closed chapter”.

“Anyone can be blackmailed or lured, and they are experts in wooing people. Cross-voting is not new. In Jharkhand, a Congress MLA cross-voted,” he said.

“With money and muscle power, they can do anything. I convey to my BJP friends that they need not be concerned. In my party, after the cross-voting episode, I called all 17 MLAs. One MLA has drifted away from us, but the others attended in full strength. The MLAs want development funds, and the present Chief Minister has assured that Rs 50 crore to Rs 100 crore will be released immediately. There is an election in two years. Let us leave the matter here and plan for overthrowing this Congress government in 2028,” Kumaraswamy stated.

Speaking about the Bidadi project, Kumaraswamy said: “After dropping the Bidadi project during my tenure, I pursued the ‘Compete with China’ initiative aimed at establishing industrial clusters across Karnataka to boost manufacturing and employment.”

He stressed that he had never permitted townships or industries to come up on irrigated or agriculture-dependent land.

–IANS

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