A letter claimed to have been written by Congress MLA B.R. Patil and 11 MLAs of the ruling party in Karnataka to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah “exposing the corruption by the cabinet ministers in the state” has left the government red-faced. 

Even as Patil told the state Congress leadership that the letter was fake and photoshopped, and he lodged a police complaint in this regard, the matter has embarrassed the party. 

The development has come against the backdrop of the Congress-led government, which has been facing criticism from the BJP over the matter related to filming of Hindu girls in a college restroom by Muslim female students in Udupi district, and the government’s move to withdraw the cases against the accused in the 2020 DJ Halli and KG Halli violence case in Bengaluru. 

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday said that MLA B.R. Patil has clarified that a fake letter was being circulated in his name. 

“Despite that, the media is making it news. He had only asked to call the legislature party meeting,” he stated. 

CM Siddaramaiah has called the Congress Legislature Party Meeting on Thursday (July 27) to discuss various issues and all eyes are on the outcome of the meeting. 

A source, meanwhile, said the MLAs were unhappy over the functioning of cabinet ministers. 

“The MLAs are also not happy with the government not releasing funds for developmental activities for their constituencies against the backdrop of a dearth of funds for implementing guarantee schemes,” the source said. 

(The story has been published via a syndicated feed with a modified headline.)