PayCM posters: NCR against Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar, Siddaramaiah

BENGALURU: Police on Saturday registered a non-cognisable report (NCR) against opposition leader in the legislative assembly Siddaramaiah , state Congress president DK Shivakumar and others in connection with the party's PayCM poster campaign. "Without any prior permission, the large gathering of Congress leaders and workers came onto the road, affecting traffic flow on a busy road," the NCR registered by High Grounds police read.

Congress playing dirty politics for publicity: Bommai
An NCR is normally registered in cases where no heinous crime has been reported or the case is of a lighter nature. However, an NCR can be turned into an FIR and sections of Indian Penal Code can be invoked as investigation continues.

On Friday, Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, along with other senior party functionaries, pasted PayCM posters with chief minister Basavaraj Bommai's picture on it, challenging the government's action against Congress workers who had allegedly put up posters in some parts of the city. Police had detained Siddaramaiah, Shivakumar, Karnataka Congress in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala and others, and released them later in Bengaluru.

In Chitradurga, Bommai said action would be taken against all guilty parties in accordance with the law, regardless of their position or power. He added: "It is dirty politics played out by the Congress for cheap publicity. Let them come for a discussion with appropriate evidence. If they have it, let there be a detailed investigation. Congress leaders are desperate and have lost moral values."

On Saturday, health minister K Sudhakar used the Lingayat card to attack the Congress. "Congress launched the PayCM campaign targeting Bommai because the party could not tolerate a CM from the major Lingayat community," he said. But Bommai distanced himself from it. "I'm not party to that statement and will not comment," he said.

Meanwhile, PayCM posters have surfaced in various districts. A few posters were seen at public places in Belthangady taluk on Saturday. Senior Congress leaders Kimmane Ratnakar, Kagodu Thimmappa, HM Revanna, and Madhu Bangarappa flaunted PayCM posters at the DCC office in Shivamogga.