Tickets distribution for LS polls after Feb 18 in Karnataka: Bommai

Bengaluru: Former Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday said that the process of distribution of tickets for Lok Sabha elections will begin after February 18 for the state candidates.

“The national executive committee meeting will meet in Delhi on February 17 and 18 and thereafter the ticket distribution process will start. Ticket distribution with JD-S will also be discussed,” he said.

Attacking the Congress government, Bommai said that the court has taken note of delay in probing 40 per cent commission charges. “This shows that the Karnataka government treasury is empty. The same thing has been reiterated by the court,” he said.

He said that the Karnataka High Court had observed inordinate delay by the Congress government to probe 40 per cent commission charges made against the previous BJP government and has also asked the government to submit the probe report within six weeks.

He said that the court has also observed that it would be forced to give orders to the government to release funds as it was buying time to make payment under the garb of commission as the government coffer was empty.

“The government must set aside its shame and wake up,” Bommai said.

On the Contractors Association President Kempanna's U-turn on the commission charges against the Congress government, the BJP leader said that there was pressure from the state government.

He said the government also had made the Governor to tell lies about the projects that were undertaken during the BJP government.

“This shows that there has been no development in the state in the last eight months. All issues including the Hangal rape issue and the collapse of law and order would be discussed in the session,” he said.