‘Whole govt, including Chief Minister is silent’: Former Karnataka CM Bommai on BR Patil’s allegations

HAVERI: Amid a row over Congress MLA BR Patil’s allegations of corruption against Karnataka government, former Chief Minister and BJP MP Basavaraj Bommai on Monday hit out at the Congress-led state government, saying that the frustration about corruption in the ruling party has reached the point of “no return.”

Questioning silence of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and government, the BJP MP alleged that the state leadership have agreed that there is a huge amount of corruption in the state.

While speaking , Bommai says, “The frustration about corruption in the ruling party has reached the point of no return. That’s why ruling party MLAs are complaining about the corruption in transfers, in getting the work done, to get the work order, and to get the bills…”

“Every day, one or the other MLA cries, but the whole government, including the CM, is silent. That means they have agreed that there is a huge amount of corruption in the state. Financially, it has gone broke. Ministers are writing open letters instead of speaking in the cabinet…” he added.

#WATCH | Haveri, Karnataka | On Congress MLA BR Patil’s allegations of corruption against Karnataka govt, Former Karnataka CM and BJP MP Basavaraj Bommai says, “The frustration about corruption in the ruling party has reached the point of no return. That’s why ruling party MLAs… pic.twitter.com/mKto20fGwx

— ANI (@ANI) June 23, 2025

Bommai also announced that the BJP state unit will soon stage multiple ‘Jan Andolans’ against the Congress government over the matter for which party leaders will soon conduct a meeting.

He said, “Therefore, the BJP state unit will sit together and frame the issues where the development has not occurred. We will have a Jan Andolan in different regions. Shortly after that, all the state seniors will meet in Bangalore. Our Leader of Opposition, President, office bearers and all MPs, MLAs will sit together and finalise the issues…”

His reaction came after BR Patil’s acknowledgment of a viral audio clip that has sparked allegations of corruption in the housing department.

Patil acknowledged that it was his voice in the audio clip that went viral on social media, where a phone conversation purportedly between Patil and Sarfaraz Khan, the personal assistant (PA) to Karnataka Housing and Minority Welfare Minister BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan, has brought the Congress government under fire due to allegations of irregularities in the housing allotment.

Speaking on the matter, Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy said, “… Illegal activities took place in BR Patil’s constituency. Two days ago, he called the minister’s private secretary… But that private secretary said that if anything goes wrong, then they will make the decision, and he asked for the documents. This is the adamant reply by that officer… He is the main person who loots the state, collecting the money in that department, who is the kingpin. How is he going to take action against these kinds of activities?…”

Meanwhile, Congress MLA BR Patil said that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah invited him for a meeting. He would meet him on June 25, possibly to discuss the allegations levelled by the former.

“Yesterday, the CM called me for a meeting. I will meet him on the evening of June 25. He asked me where I was and whether I was coming to Raichur. He asked me to meet him. He did not ask me anything about the audio. I have owned that it was my voice,” Patil told reporters here.
When asked about Karnataka Housing Minister Khan denying the allegations, he reiterated, “It is my voice (in the viral audio clip). I was the one who was talking. What else do you want?… He also has the right to deny it (allegations).”

Patil earlier levelled serious allegations against the Housing Board, stating that houses under the Rajiv Gandhi housing scheme are allotted only when bribes are paid. (ANI)