Sibin Soman 
Siddaramaiah said the previous government in Karnataka invited tenders without setting aside funds in the budget.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced that the Karnataka State Contractors’ Association will have its pending dues of Rs 30,000 crore settled according to the state’s financial condition.
Members of the association met Siddaramaiah Monday, demanding the government to clear the dues. “They have demanded that Rs 15,000 crore be cleared by April. I said it was impossible and assured them to clear the dues whenever possible,” he said.
Responding to media queries, Siddaramaiah asked who was responsible for the dues. “Without setting aside funds in the budget, tenders were invited (by the previous government). Contractors participated and started works. As a result, pending dues increased. Is the (current) government responsible for it?” he asked.
The association also said they would meet top Congress leaders such as AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge and MP Rahul Gandhi to request that they direct the Karnataka government to clear the dues. “They are welcome to meet Kharge and Rahul. We will not object to it. But, we will clear the bills based on our financial condition,” the CM said.
Regarding allegations that officials were collecting commissions to process bills, Siddaramaiah advised contractors not to pay the officials.
In response to senior Congress leader B Veerappa Moily’s comments suggesting that Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar would become chief minister during the current term, Siddaramaiah stated that he would abide by the directives of the party’s high command. “What Moily or anyone else says is not as important. The high command’s decision is final,” he added.
