Karnataka: Congress takes action against 2 leaders

In a swift action, the Karnataka Congress on Wednesday acted against two of its leaders for allegedly making objectionable remarks against the state unit chief DK Shivakumar. While MLA VS Ugrappa was issued a shadow-cause notice by the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), its working president Saleem Ahmed was suspended for six years. Ugrappa has clarified that Salim was making him aware of the BJP's allegations.

Action was initiated against the duo after a video surfaced in which Ugrappa and Ahmed were reportedly heard talking about Shivakumar and “his people” taking money. Soon after the surfacing of the clipping, Ugappa addressed a press conference stating that a private conversation was being taken out of context and the party did not encourage corruption. “Why is a conversation taken out of context being taken seriously? Congress has never encouraged commission or corruption in awarding tenders,” he told reporters. The BJP's former spokesperson S Prakash demanding Shivakumar's resignation and calling for a formal inquiry into the corruption allegations.