Accordingly the BJP has accused former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah of accepting a 2019 Mercedes Benz sedan as a gift from Congress MLA Byrathi Suresh from Bengaluru’s Hebbal constituency. Meanwhile the car is touted to cost an estimated Rs 1.8 crore. Reportedly Byrathi Suresh is one of the richest MLas in Karnataka with his election affidavit saying he has assets worth Rs 416 crore.
Even though Suresh has denied these allegations and has claimed that he gave the car to the former CM for a ride once, the BJP insists that the car was a quid pro quo. Recently Suresh had been posted as the chairman of the Karnataka State Small Industries Development Corporation recently. Furthermore Suresh claimed, "It’s his car. It's the one he uses to travel. It's registered under his wife's name and he did not gift it to Siddaramaiah. He only let him use it once. Is that wrong? Wouldn't you let your friends ride your car if they need to? It was not a gift."
Moreover Congress senior leader and Water Resources Minister DK Shivakumar too tried to downplay the allegation saying, “There is no gift or anything. There is no issue. Is there any record that he has received a gift or anything?” Moreover speaking earlier with TNM, former Lokayukta and SC judge Santosh Hegde had said any government official or party leader should declare any gift worth above Rs 5,000 as per rules.
