Bengaluru, September 2: RTI activist Marlinga Gowda Mali Patil revealed that Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah's office allocates almost INR 54 lakhs monthly to manage personal and official social media handles. Patil filed a plea after learning the' hefty' cost being spent on the CM's social media handles. She also criticised the government, pointing out that while development projects were reportedly halted due to a lack of funds, the Congress administration struggled to pay contractors across multiple departments.

In response to the criticism, officials from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) clarified that the expenditure on managing Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s social media accounts is significantly INR 2 crore lower compared to the amount spent by previous Chief Ministers of the state, as reported by Times Of India. MUDA Case: Karnataka High Court To Hear Today CM Siddaramaiah’s Plea Against Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot’s Order Sanctioning Probe Against Him.

According to a response from Karnataka State Marketing Communication and Advertising Ltd. (MCA), a government-owned entity, the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) spent nearly INR 3 crore from October 25 of the previous year to March 2024. The breakdown indicates a monthly expenditure of approximately INR 53.9 lakh, including 18% GST, the report added. 'He Wants to Play Politics': Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah Slams Amit Shah's Remarks on Neha Hiremath Murder Case.

The payments were made to The Policy Front, a company responsible for managing Siddaramaiah’s social media accounts. This firm operates with a dedicated team of approximately 35 professionals who oversee and handle all aspects of the Chief Minister's social media presence.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 02, 2024 12:45 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).