The political landscape in Karnataka is heating up as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accuses the Congress-led government, led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, of being an ‘ATM government.’ This accusation comes in the wake of a recent Income Tax raid in Bangalore, which revealed unaccounted cash and led to a war of words between the ruling Congress and the opposition BJP. Let’s delve into the details of this controversy, as both parties exchange allegations and counterclaims in the run-up to crucial state elections.

Source: Janam TV English

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The political atmosphere in Karnataka is currently charged with allegations and counter-allegations as the BJP takes a swipe at the Congress-led government by dubbing it an ‘ATM government.’ This term has gained popularity as the BJP accuses Chief Minister Siddaramaiah of being a “collection master.”

The controversy began when the BJP released a poster accusing the Congress of running an ‘ATM government’ after the party had previously accused the BJP government of corruption. The BJP’s accusations came hot on the heels of Income Tax raids in Bangalore that led to the seizure of around one hundred crore rupees.

The BJP alleges that the Congress, led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, had set a staggering target of one thousand crores for the first phase of election funding in the five poll-bound states. This target distribution includes 300 crores for Telangana Congress, 100 crores for Mizoram Congress, 200 crores for Chhattisgarh Congress, 200 crores for Rajasthan Congress, and another 200 crores for Madhya Pradesh Congress.

The BJP’s accusation gains traction as they claim that the Congress aimed to collect 1,000 crores through commission collection, but the money was seized before it could be distributed. Income Tax raids led to the discovery of Rs 90 crore in the flat of Ambikapati, the vice-president of the contractors’ association, and Santosh Krishnappa, a real estate businessman.

This revelation has ignited a verbal battle between the Congress and the BJP in Karnataka. The Income Tax raids in Bengaluru unearthed over Rs 50 crore in unaccounted cash, including a substantial sum of Rs 42 crore from a contractor.

The BJP’s state president, Nalin Kumar Kateel, has accused the Congress of being involved with the seized cash, an accusation vehemently denied by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Kateel argues that the cash is directly linked to the Congress and demands the resignations of Siddaramaiah and his deputy, D K Shivakumar, on moral grounds. Kateel goes a step further, claiming that the Congress is running an ‘ATM government’ in the state to fund the election campaigns in five poll-bound states. The BJP is planning to stage demonstrations in various districts and Taluk headquarters, demanding the resignations of the state’s top leaders.

Union Coal and Mines Minister Pralhad Joshi joins the chorus of accusations, alleging that the Congress has set a target of collecting a whopping Rs 1,000 crore from Karnataka alone, further intensifying the political turmoil in the state.However, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah vehemently denies these allegations, deeming them baseless. He emphasizes that contractors do not have political affiliations, and no political party seeks or receives contributions from them.