Rahul Gandhi's "PayPM" Swipe After Karnataka "Sweet Box Bribe" Row

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi reacts to reports that official from Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai's office gave "cash gifts" to journalists on Diwali

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi doubled down on allegations of corruption against the BJP government in Karnataka — citing reports of "cash gifts" to journalists — and pulled in the Prime Minister, too, for the party's much-used wordplay using payments app PayTM.  चुनाव के पहले - न खाऊंगा, न खाने दूंगा।चुनाव के बाद - ‘40% कमीशन' खाऊंगा, फिर दिवाली पर मिठाई के डब्बों में कर्नाटक मीडिया को रिश्वत भिजवाऊंगा।‘PayCM' और ‘PayPM' की भाजपा सरकार, पूरे देश में ‘डबल इंजन' का भ्रष्टाचार।

"The BJP government of 'PayCM' and 'PayPM'," he said in a tweet, stands for "corruption of 'double engine' across the country", taking a swipe at Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and PM Narendra Modi.

"Before the election, 'Neither will I take bribe, nor will I allow it'. After election — will eat '40% commission', then send bribes to Karnataka media in sweet boxes on Diwali," Mr Gandhi tweeted, in Hindi, citing PM Modi's "Na khaunga, na khane dunga" promise.