Bengaluru: The Karnataka State Contractors’ Association has written a strongly worded letter to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, alleging that the commission demanded for clearance of contractor bills has doubled under the current Congress government compared to the previous BJP regime.
The letter, signed by Association president R. Manjunath, recalled that Siddaramaiah, as Leader of Opposition, had assured contractors that “no commission would be taken” if his party came to power. “However, we regret to bring to your notice that commissions have now doubled across all departments under your government compared to the BJP-led dispensation,” the letter stated.
The Association pointed out that in March 2025, it had publicly accused officials in the Congress government of seeking higher kickbacks than their BJP predecessors. Following this, the Chief Minister had met contractors in April and promised to release 50% of the pending bills, but the commitment remains largely unfulfilled.
“For nearly two years, contractors have been waiting for payment of arrears. Despite multiple meetings with you and senior officials, there has been no significant progress. Our Association fought against corruption and even contributed, in part, to your government coming to power. Yet, till today, we have not benefited from your administration,” Manjunath wrote.
The letter further alleged that ministers and secretaries have failed to act on repeated representations. “Instead of following transparency and seniority norms, the government has devised its own formula, releasing only 15% to 20% of pending dues every three months under a so-called Special LC arrangement,” Manjunath claimed.
The Association said it is disappointed that while contractors across districts have respected the CM’s assurances, corruption and delayed payments continue unchecked, raising questions about accountability within the government.
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