Bengaluru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday contradicted himself when he admitted that elections cannot be fought without money, but soon quipped that the ruling Congress would not fund its candidates for polls to the Legislative Council as its coffers are empty.

He told the media: “You need money to fight elections and without money, you cannot contest. The Election Commission decides how much you have to spend. However, for these elections, the Election Commission has not set any limits for expenditure,'' he said while replying to a question on whether the Congress had picked only money bags for the polls scheduled for December 27 particularly in the light of claims by party candidate in Mandya, Mr L.R. Shivarame Gowda, that he would spend double the amount of his rival candidate.

Mr Siddaramaiah said “We do not have money and we cannot finance any of the candidates.” Asked about allegations of BJP leaders that the Congress was in power and therefore would splurge on its candidates, Mr Siddaramaiah quipped: “Congress is in power, but the party does not have money.''

On allegations that the government was misusing official machinery to win these elections, Mr Siddaramaiah said the BJP had done so when that party was in power.

Congress cracks the whip, three Council poll rebels expelled

While quelling dissidence in Dharwad-Haveri constituency by persuading Mr Nagaraj Chabbi, MLC, to retire from the contest, the ruling Congress expelled three rebel candidates- two in Udupi-Mangaluru and one from Bengaluru.

The expelled candidates include Mr Dayananda Reddy from Bengaluru (Urban), Mr Jayaprakash Hegde and Mr Harikrishna Bantwal, from Udupi-Mangaluru constituencies. KPCC president Dr G Parameshwar said the party could persuade Mr Chabbi to retire from contest. At the same time, the party expelled three rebels who failed to fall in line.

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