Bengaluru, Feb 15 (IANS): A letter by BJP MLA Gulihatti Shekar for suspending tenders related to the Upper Bhadra project worth Rs 18,000 crore is proving to be a big setback for the BJP government in poll-bound Karnataka.

The opposition is targeting the BJP just when the ruling party is planning to contest the Assembly elections with a clean image.

At a time when Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah are making repeated visits to state and pledging to again form a BJP government in the state, the letter by Shekar, the BJP MLA from Hosadurga, alleging corruption and lack of transparency in the tenders has given the opposition parties a chance to corner the ruling party.

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When asked about the letter, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai brushed it aside as a casual development.

Shekar has been asked to give specific details to get the matter inquired, Bommai maintained.

"If any officer is involved in corruption, the matter will be probed. Making statements without giving any evidence is of no use," he said.

"The Congress ruled for five years during which it also floated tenders. After the BJP came to power, a committee was formed headed by a judge to go through all those tenders. Everything has been scrutinised. Now the tender process is very transparent," the CHief Minister maintained.

Shekar in his letter sent to the water resources department last week had demanded to cancel the tenders worth Rs 18,000 crore claiming that there was no transparency in issuing the tenders.

He maintained that the tenders were floated hurriedly and the board had not ensured transparency while issuing them.

BJP leaders are hailing the release of Rs 5,300 crore for the Upper Bhadra project to woo the voters. However, the questions raised by Shekar is proving to be an embarrassment for the ruling party ahead of this year's Assembly polls.