Discord in Karnataka over bribery of 100 crores, two leaders suspended

Former Congress Lok Sabha MP VS Ugrappa and Karnataka Congress media coordinator Salim Ahmed have found it costly to speak against the party’s state president DK Shivakumar. Congress has issued show cause notice to VS Ugrappa, while MA Salim Ahmet has been suspended for 6 years. Both the leaders were heard in a video recording talking about state Congress president DK Shivakumar taking a bribe. VS Ugrappa and Salim Ahmed’s conversation was recorded before the Karnataka Congress press conference began. During this, both the leaders were talking about a bribe of Rs 100 crore. In the video, both were also heard saying that when DK Shivakumar was a minister, he used to take 18 to 20 per cent commission.
Congress has sought clarification from party spokesperson Ugrappa within the next three days, while MA Salim has been suspended for six years.

Salim and Ugrappa were also heard telling each other that the associates of the Karnataka Congress President had earned Rs 100 crore from extortion. This conversation between the two was taking place regarding the scam of the irrigation department. DK Shivakumar was the irrigation minister during the Congress-JDS coalition government that lasted for 14 months.

However, Ugrappa has said in his clarification that Salim was only telling him what the BJP people are talking about the raids of the Income Tax Department in four states including Karnataka-Maharashtra on 7 October.