Bribery charge: CPI demands K'taka CM's resignation

Bangalore, July 20 (UNI) The Communist Party of India (CPI) today demanded the immediate resignation of Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy in the wake of BJP legislator G Janardhan Reddy reiterating the bribery charge against him.

Addressing a press conference here, CPI National Council Secretary Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy said the allegation levelled by Mr Reddy was serious in nature and the Chief Minister should ask the Union Government to appoint a sitting Supreme Court judge to inquire into the allegation.

Mr Reddy had created a furore in the Legislative Council when he repeated the bribery charge against Mr Kumaraswamy and his Ministerial colleagues.

The MLC had earlier alleged that Forests Minister C Chennigappa had collected Rs 150 crore from mine owners in Bellary district on behalf of the Chief Minister. However, he had then denied that he had named the Chief Minister in the scandal.

Mr Sudhakar Reddy said ''The JD(S)-BJP coalition government in the state is becoming unpopular with unearthing of several scams.

The government is getting alienated from the people,'' he added.

He informed that the Left parties would be launching a statewide campaign to fight corruption and called upon other parties and public to join the protest.

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