The ruling Congress and opposition Janata Dal (Secular) continued to trade barbs over former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy’s allegation on “transfer mafia” working in the Congress government. In response to Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar who sought proof for cash for transfer allegations, Mr. Kumaraswamy asked if Congress had the courage to inquire if he presented documents.
“I have documents and I have the courage to provide proof if there is an inquiry set up to probe the transfer business. Does the Congress have the courage to set it up,” he asked. He challenged the government to investigate transfers done during his regime in 2018-2019 as well as the five years of the Siddaramaiah-led government prior to that.
In response to Mr. Kumaraswamy’s transfer allegations, the Karnataka Congress harked back to the time when he, as CM, stayed at the Taj West End. In a tweet, the party sought to know how much the former Chief Minister spent on room rent and its source. “You had started an adda at West End. How many crores did you spend?”
Meanwhile, KPCC Working President B.N. Chandrappa retorted that Mr. Kumaraswamy was making allegations in desperation. “He was hoping to control the government in case of a hung Assembly, but people gave a mandate for the Congress. He is unable to digest the fact.”
Former MP V.S. Ugrappa said that Mr. Kumaraswamy was making allegations on transfers even before the government could start transfers.