PayCM row:NCR complaint lodged against Siddaramaiah, Shivakumar; Karnataka CM Bommai says Congress is playing dirty politics

Karnataka police on Saturday registered a Non-Cognisable Report against Opposition leader K. Siddaramaiah and State Congress President D.K. Shivakumar in connection with the grand-old party's 'PayCM' poster campaign. While Bommai accused the opposition Congress of playing "dirty politics" in connection with its PayCM campaign in the state.

Chitradurga (Karnataka):Karnataka police on Saturday registered a Non-Cognisable Report (NCR) against Opposition leader K. Siddaramaiah and State Congress President D.K. Shivakumar in connection with the grand-old party's 'PayCM' poster campaign. Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar had on Friday pasted the 'PayCM' posters with Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai's picture on it challenging the state government's order.

The police had detained Siddaramaiah, Shivakumar, Karnataka Congress in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala and others for pasting 'PayCM' posters and released them later near the Race Course Road in Bengaluru. Police said that the said Congress leaders had not taken permission to protest and pasted PayCM posters on the road.

The Congress has intensified 'PayCM' posters campaign targeting the ruling BJP on "corruption" charges. Bommai had on Wednesday ordered an inquiry after "PayCM" posters with the photo of him surfaced in several parts of Bengaluru, and said it is an insult to him and the state. The Contractors' Association has alleged that ruling BJP leader have to be paid 40 per cent commission for getting contracts of all government projects. The Association has also written letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi twice seeking action. Recently, Surjewala had also chaired a meeting in connection with the gearing up 'PayCM' posters further.

Water Resources Minister Govind Karjol said that making personal attacks is condemnable."Kempanna, from Contractors' Association, who had written a letter to Prime Minister Modi is not a contractor at all. The investigating agencies have asked him for the proof and he has refused to give evidence," Karjol said. Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha said: "This is an era of PM Modi, the time of development. There should be a fight on development issues and personal attacks should not be made."

Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Saturday accused the opposition Congress of playing "dirty politics" in connection with its PayCM campaign in the state. If at all there is any issue, it should be spoken about directly. They should give evidence, and records and it has to be investigated.

Without anything in their heads they come to the session this shows their moral degradation, he said."This campaign is taken without any morality and mudslinging programme," he stated."Congress leaders are in the illusion of attaining power through carrying out dirty politics. This is not possible in Karnataka. The government would initiate legal action in this regard," CM Bommai stated.

Reacting to the charge of Health Minister Dr K. Sudhakar that the Lingayat chief minister is being targetted, he said he wouldn't want to comment anything over the issue. When asked about pre-poll surveys suggesting that the ruling BJP would only get 95 to 100 assembly seats, way behind attaining a majority, CM Bommai stated that each survey will throw up different numbers.

"We have been in politics for 30-35 years. We can feel the pulse of the people. This time BJP is going to attain power," CM Bommai explained. He maintained that the state cabinet expansion would be taken up once the high command gave consent to it. Talking about the raids on PFI and SDPI leaders, he stated that the action had been initiated by the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and the state police department.(IANS)