Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah spends Rs 54 lakh per month on his social media, RTI reply shows

Digital Desk: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's office spends nearly Rs 54 lakh per month to manage his social media presence, both official and personal, as revealed by a recent RTI reply. According to the RTI response, a dedicated team of 35 members is employed specifically for this task. The Chief Minister's Office (CMO) has disbursed Rs 53.9 lakh, including 18% GST, to an account under The Policy Front's name for these services.

Further details obtained by India Today TV show that the CMO spent approximately Rs 3.18 crore from October 2023 to March 2024 on social media management. This expenditure comes at a time when Siddaramaiah is embroiled in a controversy involving the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) site allotment scam. The Karnataka Governor, Thawar Chand Gehlot, has sanctioned an investigation into the allegations.

The controversy centers around a 3.16-acre plot in Kesaru village owned by Siddaramaiah’s wife, Parvathi. MUDA acquired this land for development and subsequently allocated Parvathi 14 premium sites in Vijayanagar in 2022 as compensation under a 50:50 scheme. Activists argue that the value of the allocated sites was significantly higher than that of the land acquired by MUDA, suggesting a potential irregularity.

Siddaramaiah has dismissed these claims as a conspiracy orchestrated by the opposition BJP to destabilize his government. The BJP has demanded Siddaramaiah's resignation to facilitate an independent investigation into the matter, further intensifying the political debate.