GULBARGA: The State unit of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M) on Monday demanded that the bribery charge levelled by the BJP MLC Janardhan Reddy against Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and Forest Minister C. Chennigappa be investigated under the direct supervision of the High Court of Karnataka to bring out the truth.

Addressing a press conference here, the party's State Secretariat members G.C. Bayyareddy, Maruti Manpade and K. Neela said the party's State committee had in its two meetings in Bangalore discussed the situation arising out of the corruption charge and the subsequent change in the stand of the BJP legislator.

They said the change in the stand of the BJP MLC would not end the controversy and the allegation of bribe being collected from mine owners in Bellary district remained unchanged.

The Government should refer the matter to the High Court for investigation under its direct supervision, they said.

Mr. Bayyareddy said the coalition partners could not escape from the corruption charge stating that the issue had been resolved with the legislator withdrawing his charge.

The people wanted to know who had received the bribe money and how much tax had been evaded.

Siddaramaiah's decision

The party's State committee also discussed the fall out of former Deputy Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's decision to join the Congress.

It had appealed to him to reconsider his decision. Mr. Siddaramaiah should instead take a lead in forming a "third front" consisting of the Left parties and secular democratic forces as an alternative to both the Congress and the Janata Dal (S)-BJP combine.

Mr. Bayyareddy said Mr. Siddaramaiah's hope that the Congress would protect the interests of backward classes would fail as that party was only interested in strengthening its vote bank.

Communal politics

He said the party's State committee also took note of the attempt being made by the BJP and the Sangh Parivar organisations to whip up communal frenzy in the coastal region to strengthen their political base.

The Sangh Parivar organisations had been emboldened after the BJP joined the Government in the State and they were openly trying to divide society on communal lines to further their political interests, he said.

The Chief Minister, who still spoke of the secular credentials of the Janata Dal (S), should take immediate steps to check the Sangh Parivar organisations and the BJP from communalising the peaceful social atmosphere in the State, he said.

He said the party's state committee also demanded that an inquiry be instituted into the alleged scandal involving crores of rupees in the transfer of government officials this year.

He said the BJP and the Janata Dal (S) leaders were only interested in "fattening their purse" to face the next general elections and were not interested in the development of the State.

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