Leader of Opposition in the Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy addressing a press conference in Bengaluru on Monday.
| Photo Credit: special arrangement
After Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge, the BJP appears to have trained its guns on Large and Medium Industries Minister M.B. Patil.
Leader of Opposition in the Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy on Monday accused Mr. Patil of getting multiple sites from the government under different names and reciprocating the favours to business houses through allotment of sites.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru on Monday, Mr. Narayanaswamy pointed out that Mr. Patil had mentioned in his affidavit for the Assembly elections about him getting a loan of ₹4 crore from Bagmane Developers. He accused the Minister of reciprocating the fayour by helping those associated with the firm through the allotment of CA sites. He alleged that Vaigai Investments Pvt. Ltd. had been allotted a CA site later. Both Bagmane Developers and Vaigai Investments Pvt. Ltd. had a common director, he claimed, and termed this reciprocating the favour.
Taking serious exception to such charges, Mr. Patil clarified that he and his family members have not obtained any G-category site or industrial/CA plot from KIADB or KHB during their entire political careers.
“Our family has had a relationship with Bagmane Tech Park for about 30 years. Groups such as Bagmane, Prestige, Brigade, Embassy, and Mantri have contributed to the growth of Bengaluru. However, there is no connection between the bond we share at an individual family level and the decisions made at the government level,” Mr. Patil explained.
He further clarified that Bagmane was allotted a KIADB plot at Aerospace Park based solely on its credentials, following a submission of an application.
Mr. Patil maintained that personal relations should not be unnecessarily linked with government decisions and urged Mr. Chalavadi to show maturity in his statements. “Everyone understands who is behind Mr. Chalavadi’s remarks.”
