K'taka: Govt engaged in loot through illegal tender process, claims BJP

Bengaluru, May 5 (IANS) The Congress-led Karnataka government has been repeatedly involved in corrupt practices and is issuing tenders illegally, offering contracts only to its preferred entities, alleged senior BJP leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, Chalavadi Narayanaswamy. 

Speaking at a press conference held at the Vidhana Soudha on Monday, he said: “Tenders are being floated on the Karnataka Public Procurement Portal. Even during our tenure, a tender was issued for printing marks cards, and the rate fixed was Rs 9.45 per card. After this government came to power, a tender was called by the Para-Medical Board, quoting Rs 100 for printing a single marks card. Following discussions, the rate was reduced to Rs 91,” he stated.

He further said that as the issue came to light in some circles, the government negotiated again and revised the prices — Rs 44 for printing a marks card, Rs 47 for a diploma certificate, and Rs 44 for an internship certificate. A work order was issued with these revised rates on November 29 last year, he added.

The contract was awarded to "Urdhva Management Private Limited" based in Sanjaynagar, Bengaluru. Upon learning this, Narayanaswamy said he wrote to the government secretary on January 8, pointing out violations of the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement (KTPP) Act. “To this day, no response has been received,” he said, and further noted that the financial bid was approved only on April 12, 2024, even though the work order had already been issued earlier.

He also displayed related letters and documents.

Responding to a question, Narayanaswamy said this matter falls under the portfolio of Medical Education Minister Sharanprakash Patil.

He alleged that the director of Urdhva Management Pvt. Ltd., Venkatareddy D. Patil, is either a close relative or associate of Minister Patil.

He claimed that Urdhva Management is an event management company and has no connection whatsoever with printing services. “They have never handled any printing work,” he alleged.

“Steps have been taken to award the tender to people favoured by the minister. This is a blacklisted company with around 20–25 cases registered against it,” Narayanaswamy said, questioning how such a firm could be awarded the contract.

He further alleged that the tender was awarded without even finalising the financial bid.

“When we gave the contract at Rs 9.45 per mark card, it came to Rs 2.45 lakh. But in this bid, they haven't even specified how many certificates are to be printed — meaning they can later decide and print however many they want,” he said.

“Despite writing two or three letters regarding this, I have not received a single response from the Chief Secretary or the concerned department,” he concluded.