Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's office spends nearly Rs 54 lakh per month to manage his social media accounts, both official and personal, according to an RTI (Right to Information) response. This expenditure was revealed by RTI activist Marlinga Gowda Mali Patil, who filed the request after hearing about the hefty costs associated with maintaining the CM's social media presence.
Patil's concern stemmed from the fact that, at a time when development projects were reportedly stalled due to a lack of funds, the Congress government was struggling to pay contractors for work in various departments.
CMO Clarification Over Expenditure
According to a Times of India report, officials from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) confirmed the expenditure but noted that the current amount is remarkably lower than the over Rs 2 crore per month spent by previous Chief Ministers on similar activities.
According to the response from the Karnataka State Marketing Communication and Advertising Ltd (MCA), a government-owned entity, the CMO spent nearly Rs 3 crore from October 25 last year to March 2024. The monthly expenditure, including 18% GST, amounted to around Rs 53.9 lakh. These payments were made to The Policy Front, a company responsible for managing Siddaramaiah's social media accounts, with a dedicated team of approximately 35 individuals.
Raj Bhavan Chalo Protest By Congress
Meanwhile, a political controversy has erupted over Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot's decision to grant permission for the prosecution of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. In response, state ministers and legislators organised a 'Raj Bhavan Chalo' protest on August 31. The Congress party has accused the Governor of biased behaviour, alleging that several other cases pending before him have not received any attention, while he swiftly acted on the case against Siddaramaiah.
During the protest, participants also demanded the prosecution of Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy in a mining lease case. Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar led the march to Raj Bhavan, accompanied by other legislators carrying placards with slogans. The march began at the Gandhi statue near Vidhana Soudha and concluded at Raj Bhavan, where the Congress delegation submitted an appeal to the Governor.
Notably, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah did not attend the meeting with the Governor. The controversy centres around Governor Gehlot's decision to sanction the prosecution of Siddaramaiah in a corruption case related to the allotment of land to his wife by the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA).
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