Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah
Credit: PTI Photo
Bengaluru: BJP MLC D S Arun on Friday met Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot and submitted a memorandum seeking the dismissal of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, over misuse of consolidated funds allocated to the taluk panchayats and the zilla panchayats, to the tune of Rs 1,953 crore in 2023-24 fiscal.
Arun has petitioned to the Governor, a day after the Cabinet headed by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had decided to give ‘aid and advice’ to the Governor to act on requests seeking sanction for prosecution against JD(S) leader and Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy and three former BJP ministers - Shashikala Jolle, mining baron G Janardhana Reddy and former industries minister Murugesh Nirani.
Funds in ZPs, TPs
In his petition, Arun alleged that as member of the Legislative Council he had raised an unstarred question on December 18, 2023 during the winter session held in Belagavi in which Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had responded that a sum of Rs 459 crore in the ZP and Rs 1,494 crore in TP were spent and the unspent amount has been credited into the state consolidate fund.
Following this, the petitioner claims that he sought details from the Treasury department on funds. But the Treasury department, in response to his letter, stated that the said funds were not with it.
‘Submitted false replies’
“This is a clear act on the part of the CM, who is also the Finance minister, who has submitted false replies and misleading information on the floor of the House, besides concealing the truth. Therefore, this financial impropriety and misuse of consolidated funds need to be investigated and steps should be taken for dismissal of the CM for unconstitutional transfer of funds, Arun appealed to the Governor in his petition.