'BJP shielding K'taka CM from corruption charge'

Hubli, Aug 20: Former Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who had joined the Congress recently, today accused the BJP leaders of trying to protect Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy from the serious bribery allegation levelled against him by their own party legislator G Janardhana Reddy.

Talking to newspersons here, he alleged that the BJP leader were pressurising Mr Reddy to maintain silence on the issue.

Describing the present JD (S)-BJP coalition government as ''defunct'' and ''childish,'' he said mid-term poll to the state assembly was inevitable.

Mr Siddaramaiah wondered how senior BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa could tolerate such a ''corrupt government.'' He said the All India Progressive Janata Dal would merge with the Congress on September three. However, its President C M Ibrahim would not be joining the Congress for another three to four months due to some unavoidable circumstances. ''But he has authorised me to merge the party,'' he added.

Congress leader Basavaraj Rayareddi, who was present on the occasion, said he had received information that Mr Reddy would be releasing two VCDs in Bangalore and Bellary on August 22 to prove his allegation that Mr Kumaraswamy and Forests Minister C Chennigappa had received a bribe of Rs 150 crore from the mining lobby in Bellary district.

UNI