Kashmir to Kanyakumari, people calling Basavaraj Bommai ‘PayCM’: Congress general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala

HAVERI: Randeep Singh Surjewala, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary and the party’s Karnataka in-charge, took a swipe at chief minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday over the alleged corruption charges against the BJP government in the state.
“People of the nation from Kashmir to Kanyakumari are calling Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai ‘PayCM’ because of the 40 per cent commission government,” Surjewala said.Addressing party workers at the Congress Guarantee Card distribution event here on Monday, he alleged that BJP is referred to as the “Brashta Janata Party”, with many civil contractors having ended their lives during the party’s tenure over unsettled dues.
Surjewala said Union home minister Amit Shah and CM Bommai keep shouting for evidence over complaints of 40 per cent commission paid to the government, but what better evidence of corruption charges than BJP MLA Virupakshappa Madal? “Even after four days, the government has gone silent instead of arresting the main accused, MLA Virupakshappa,” Surjewala said.
He assured that Congress was ready to offer a transparent government, reiterating the party’s poll promises of handing out a monthly grant of Rs 2,000 to every woman head of the family, 200 units of free electricity and 10kg of rice per family member if the party is voted to power in Karnataka.
“We are distributing guarantee cards to the people over our assurances. We will form the government with a clear mandate,” he said.
AICC leader Mayur Yuvakumar, KPCC working president and MLC Saleem Ahmed, MLA Srinivas Mane, former ministers Rudrappa Lamani, Basavaraj Shivannavar, Manohar Tahsildar, UB Banakar, Prakashgouda Patil, Mohammad Nalapad and other party functionaries attended the programme.