Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday, September 18, termed the billboards that have come up in Telangana against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government as “systematic conspiracy”. "I am not aware of them (billboards in Telangana alleging corruption in the BJP) as I have not been there. But if it's true, then it is a systematic conspiracy," CM Bommai told reporters.
He was replying to a query on some billboards that have purportedly come up in parts of Telangana, alleging there is a ‘40% commission government’ in Karnataka, alluding to corruption allegations against the state government by various bodies. "I have no clue whether it was a private board or a government board. However, the state governments should not allow such boards to be put up in their states. That spoils the relationship between the states,” CM Bommai said.
Since last year, various contractors’ associations have been alleging that they are forced to give a 40% cut of their commission to Karnataka government officials as bribes to be awarded tenders. Later, an association of thousands of private schools also alleged corruption in disbursing of funds. In April this year, a Lingayat seer alleged that maths are also forced to pay a 30% commission to the Karnataka government.
On September 13, the Karnataka Congress launched a website where citizens could file complaints if they had been the target of alleged bribes or commission demands from state authorities. The Congress said that it has initiated a "40% sarkara" campaign to undermine the Karnataka administration, renewing its attack on the BJP.
The allegations of the BJP government demanding a 40% commission for the completion of infrastructural projects, came after the death of contractor Santhosh Patil.Santhosh Patil had carried out road works in Hidalaga in Belagavi worth Rs 4 crore in 2019. However, even close to three years later, he did not see any reimbursement from the government, as he allegedly did not pay a 40% bribe to former Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister KS Eshwarappa. He had also earlier told TNM that no work order had been issued for the road works either. Santhosh was found dead on April 12, and a purported note stated that Eshwarappa was the cause for his death. Eshwarappa later resigned from his post.