Koppal, Apr 9 (UNI) In a stunning admission that has rocked Karnataka's political circles, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s own economic advisor and senior Congress MLA Basavaraj Rayareddi on Wednesday alkeged that the state "stands first in corruption", triggering a political storm and putting the ruling Congress government on the defensive.
Speaking at a public interaction organised by the Regional Imbalance Redressal Committee here, Rayareddi launched a scathing critique of systemic corruption, claiming that irrespective of which party is in power, Karnataka has earned the dubious distinction of being number one in graft.
"Corruption is rampant across all levels of governance. The quality of public works has collapsed. Earlier, government buildings lasted decades. Now, they crumble within 10 years," he said. Citing the Kalyana Karnataka region as particularly affected, Rayareddi questioned how regional disparity could be addressed while corruption continued unchecked.
He went a step further, asserting that officials now behave no differently from elected representatives and that his stand on corruption would remain firm "regardless of what the Chief Minister says."
Rayareddi's remarks have handed the opposition BJP fresh ammunition at a time when corruption allegations are already weighing heavily on the state government. State BJP president Vijayendra Yediyurappa was quick to respond, accusing the Congress government of institutionalised corruption.
"Rayareddi has exposed the dark underbelly of the Congress regime. Looting and misgovernance have become a hallmark of this administration," Vijayendra said. "His statement has tarnished Karnataka’s global image and undermined public trust."
So far, there has been no official reaction from CM Siddaramaiah or the Congress high command, but political observers see the remarks as a major embarrassment for the party, especially given Rayareddi's proximity to the chief minister.
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