Bengaluru, 11 April

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Friday suggested that if anyone has demanded commission from contractors to pay their bills, then they should file a complaint with Lokayukta.

His reaction comes a day after the Karnataka State Contractors Association (KSCA) alleged that the menace of commission was now more severe than the previous BJP government.

They claimed that "unseen hands and brokers" were active in the offices of Shivakumar and two other senior Cabinet Ministers.

Responding to these allegations, Shivakumar denied involvement of ministers and said, "If anyone has asked for commission from contractors to pay bills, they should file a complaint with the Lokayukta. Our ministers Satish Jarkiholi and Boseraju are not involved in this."

Speaking to reporters at Vidhana Soudha, Shivakumar questioned why contractors should ask the minister regarding bill payment. "Are they (contractors) not aware of the department's budget? How did they take up the contract when there is no grant?"

"During the BJP tenure, contracts worth more than Rs 1 lakh crore were awarded by my department alone. MLAs are requesting payments of these contract bills," he said.

He stated that during the BJP government, they had warned the contractors a year in advance before the assembly elections.

"We warned them not to take up any work without funds. However, without listening to us, they are now issuing letters of request for payment of bills through political leaders," he added.

On Thursday, KSCA president R Manjunath said "brokers" were active in Shivakumar's office and he also alleged interference by one relative of Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi in the affairs concerning his department.

He further claimed that Minor Irrigation Minister NS Boseraju's son (Ravi Boseraju) "makes all the deals".

While Shivakumar asked the contractors to lodge a complaint in writing, Boseraju and Jarkiholi have denied the allegations.