Were Legislative Council seats "auctioned" in Karnataka during the recent elections?

In an audio clipping Kumaraswamy can be heard asking for a bribe of Rs 40 crore from Vijaygouwda Patil, from Bijapur, who wished to be elected to the Legislative Council.
Were Legislative Council seats "auctioned" in Karnataka during the recent elections?
Were Legislative Council seats "auctioned" in Karnataka during the recent elections?
Written by:

The News Minute | July 5, 2014 | 23.22 pm IST

An audio clip caught former chief minister and Janata Dal (Secular) leader H D Kumaraswamy asking for a bribe in order to be elected to the Karnataka Legislative Council. 

The story first broke on two Kannada news channels, which broadcast the audio clipping. In the audio clipping Kumaraswamy can be heard asking for a bribe of Rs 40 crore from Vijaygouwda Patil, from Bijapur, who wished to be elected to the Legislative Council.

News channels began to run the story on Saturday evening, and later, Kumaraswamy responded to the allegations and the tape by releasing a statement to the media.

In the clip, Kumaraswamy can be heard saying, "Our MLAs are not in my control. They are already in talks with (CM) Siddaramaiah and have offered to support the Congress candidate for money. You pay the money and I will take care of the rest."

Following this, Patil and his supporters can be heard negotiating the payment to Rs 10, and they also offered the support of their seer for the JD(S). The conversation is said to have occurred in Bangalore earlier last month. 

To the attempts at negotiation, Kumaraswamy retorts: "It is as if you want to improve the lot of the people of Bijapur by becoming an MLC. You have done nothing to build the party in Bijapur. No swamiji has ever helped the JDS win. Talk business."

In an email statement circulated to the media, Kumaraswamy said: "This is the bitter truth of present day politics. I am not one of those leaders who say one thing to someone’s face and do something else behind the scenes. When I discuss the realities of politics in a general manner, I am called a khalnayak (villain). I have not committed a 'Maha aparadha' (grave crime)… Are the other parties Satyavadi Harishchandras? I am ready to respond inside and outside the assembly."

Related Stories

No stories found.
The News Minute
www.thenewsminute.com