Santosh Hegde flays parties for not raising seat-for-cash issue in Assembly

BANGALORE: Former Karnataka Lokayukta Santosh Hegde today flayed political parties for not raising the seat-for-cash CD controversy involving JDS leader H D Kumaraswamy in the Assembly "for the fear of more exposures coming to light."

"Nobody has raised this issue.They do not want to discuss the cash-for-seat issue in the Assembly and public forums because there will be more exposures. They want to have a quiet burial," Hegde said.

Hegde, a former Supreme Court judge, said the system of democracy is getting commercialised where people are profiting out of it. Kumaraswamy himself allegedly asking money for MLC seat reflects his party in poor light, Hegde said.

"Horse-trading and cash-for-seat is nothing but out and out bribery. It is high time the concerned person took it very seriously and found a solution for the problem," he added.

Former Infosys top executive Mohandas Pai said he was not surprised by the cash for MLC seat issue as it was the reality of politics.

"I am not surprised by Kumaraswamy asking for cash for MLC seat as people and businessmen don't contribute funds to political parties. It is the reality of politics of today. Every citizen should contribute money to political parties, for where else can they get money. This will help stemming the rot (horse-trading)," he told PTI here.

Kumaraswamy is caught in a controversy after the release of an audio CD about him purportedly telling the supporters of MLC seat aspirant Vijugowda Patil, a JDS leader from Bijapur district, about the demand for about Rs one crore each by his party MLAs.

"Black money makes its way into politics because people and businessmen do not give money to political parties." Pai also said even other parties are doing it and added that the root cause for things such as cash-for-seat is that the people and businessmen do not come forward to fund political parties.

Pai, however, clarified that he is not at all supporting the views expressed by the State JDS President.

Earlier in the day, Kumaraswamy said he was ready for any kind of probe into the matter.