Congress MLA Shivaram Hebbar has dismissed the alleged claims made by his party against BJP of trying to bribe and poach its MLA’s through offering money and ministries in exchange for voting in favour of the B.S. Yeddyurappa led BJP government in Karnataka.
Shivaram Hebbar who defeated BJP candidate VS Patil Andalagi from Yellapur constituency, took to Facebook to rubbish the alleged tape conversation released by his fellow party man, VS Ugrappa.
Congress leader Hebbar took to Facebook to rubbish the allegation that his party had hurled against the BJP.
Shivaram Hebbar said :
“I have got to know that the media has released a tape of BJP leaders talking to my wife. The person who is speaking in this call is not my wife and my wife has not received any calls from BJP. This is done to get some political points and I oppose it. The audio which has been released is fake. I thank the people who have given me an opportunity to work. I will work for the welfare of people”
In the tapes released by Ugrappa, two BJP representatives – B.S. Yeddyurappa’s son B Y Vijayendra and party leader BJ Puttuswamy allegedly heard approaching Hebbar’s wife, offering money and ministerial position to desert the Congress and vote in favour of BJP in the Karnataka assembly floor test.
In the tapes, Vijayendra and Puttuswamy can both be heard offering Rs 15 crore without a ministerial position and Rs 5 crore with a ministerial berth. Puttuswamy also allegedly can be heard promising to clear the slate as far as the trails faced by Hebbar’s son and wife in connection with mining.
These audio tapes were realised right before the pot-boiler called Karnataka assembly floor test. The test saw MLA’s being restricted to 5-star resorts and ferried, both sides accusing other of horse trading. There were rumours afloat about The floor test came to an end when BS Yeddyurappa resigned from the post of the chief minister right before the floor test giving the Congress + JDS alliance the opportunity to prove majority and form the government.
This revelation by the Congress leader raises a myriad of questions and one needs to wonder if the Congress leadership knew the tapes were fake and deliberately released it to shift the narrative in their favour.