Exclusive: Karnataka CM Denies His Image Has Been Hit After Cricket Stampede, Corruption Charges

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has dismissed opposition BJP’s criticism that the state contractors’ association is accusing the Congress government of being 60% corrupt, as political posturing. In an exclusive conversation with India Today Group’s Rajdeep Sardesai, the Chief Minister denied that the Congress had run a slogan of the previous BJP government being a “40% Sarkara”, saying the allegations had been made by the contractors’ association in the state. Siddaramaiah also denied all responsibility for the Jun 4 stampede outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium in which 11 lives were lost, defending his decision to suspend senior police officers.