Bengaluru: The BJP has accused former Karnataka CM Siddharamaiah of accepting a 2019 Mercedes Benz sedan as a gift from Congress MLA Byrathi Suresh from Bengaluru’s Hebbal constituency. The car costs Rs 1.8 crore. Byrathi Suresh is one of the richest MLAs in Karnataka with assets worth Rs. 416 crore.

Though Suresh has denied these allegations and has claimed that he gave the car to the former CM for a ride once, the BJP insists that the car was a quid pro quo. Suresh had recently been posted as the chairman of the Karnataka State Small Industries Development Corporation recently.

Suresh claimed, “It’s my car. It’s the one I use to travel. It’s registered under my wife’s name. I did not gift it to Siddaramaiah. I only let him use it once. Is that wrong? Wouldn’t you let your friends ride your car if they need to?”