Bribery charge: BJP confident of solving the issue

Bangalore, July 9 (UNI) BJP Karnataka President Sadananda Gowda today said the recent allegation made by party legislator Janardhan Reddy against Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy was being blown out of proportion and exuded confidence that the issue would be amicably settled at the Coordination Committee meeting to be held here tomorrow.

When contacted by UNI, he said he had already spoken to Mr Reddy, MLC, on the issue and he had explained to him under what circumstances he had made such an allegation.

He clarified that Mr Reddy had only said that some unscrupulous elements were receiving huge sums of money as bribe from mine operators in Bellary district by misusing the names of Mr Kumaraswamy and Forest Minister M Chennigappa. ''However, the media had misquoted him as saying that Mr Kumaraswamy had taken a bribe of Rs 150 crore from the mine operators, he added.

He said ''It is not a big issue. We will put an end to it at the Coordination Committee meeting.'' To a question, Mr Sadananda Gowda said there was no groupism within his party.

Asked about the controversy over the transfer of Bellary District Superintendent of Police Pankaj Kumar Thakur, he said Mr Reddy was against the transfer as he feared that transfer of such efficient officers would embolden anti-social elements to resume their illegal mining activities.

He ruled out the possibility of the party initiating disciplinary action against Mr Reddy.

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