Bengaluru, Jul 24 (IANS): Former minister and BJP MLA from R.R. Nagar seat Munirathna Naidu has been accused of honey-trapping local politicians to win in the elections.

The accusations made by his former supporter who joined the Congress have stirred a debate and raised a concern.

Velu Naikar, a former corporator who joined Congress, has made these allegations and his speech in this regard has gone viral on social media.

“BJP MLA Munirathna has a studio set up to carry out honey traps. The leaders would be invited and they would be honey trapped and later the leaders would be blackmailed with the recordings,” Velu Naikar had alleged.

Munirathna Naidu (left) and Velu Naikar

“Munirathna is a film producer. His first film was ‘Aunty Preestse’ (Aunty, love me). Hence, after he became a minister, only aunties were found in Vikasa Soudha, Vidhana Soudha and chamber. The studios are also set up in J.P. Park and Dollars Colony. It is common for him to honey trap and blackmail,” Velu Naikar had stated.

Velu Naikar further alleged that Munirathna used to threaten leaders that he had got their "eastman colour pictures" and get them work for him.

Naikar had made these remarks in the joining ceremony of BJP leaders to the Congress on Sunday in the presence of defeated candidate Kusuma Hanumantarayappa.

BJP MLA Munirathna had won with a margin of 11,842 votes over Kusuma in the 2023 Assembly elections which had seen a very close contest.

In 2020 by-elections, Munirathna had won by 58,113 votes. He is yet to react to the allegations.

The development has raised concern and triggered controversy. The development had also put the BJP state unit in a fix.