Where was BJP when Virupakshappa was looting Karnataka soaps firm, asks Patil
Bengaluru: The govt Monday strongly defended the move to appoint actress Tamannaah Bhatia as the brand ambassador of Mysore Sandal Soap, calling it a strategic business decision aimed at expanding the state-run brand's national footprint.
In a strong rebuttal to criticism from the opposition and pro-Kannada organisations over the move, industries minister MB Patil revealed that the aim was to position Mysore Sandal Soap as a national brand.
"Mysore Sandal no longer wants to be limited to Karnataka but wants to make its mark in the national market," Patil said in a statement released on social media. "For this, a face was needed who has a strong hold on social media and who can broaden the reach of the brand.
Tamannaah Bhatia has 2.8 crore followers on Instagram, which makes her an influential social media personality."
He revealed that several high-profile names were considered for the role. "Deepika Padukone's name was discussed, but her remuneration was out of budget. Rashmika Mandanna was also approached, but she had already signed another project. Apart from this, names like Kiara Advani and Pooja Hegde were also discussed, but Tamannaah finally was chosen," he said.
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Lashing out at BJP for its "sudden concern" over KSDL's legacy, Patil said, "With the same equipment and workforce, we enhanced production capacity, and the company is now turning a profit. BJP functionaries, who were indifferent when KSDL was incurring losses, are now issuing grand statements about protecting the state's interests. The same members, who now portray themselves as protectors of Karnataka's entrepreneurial heritage, remained tight-lipped when Madal Virupakshappa was sent to jail on charges of corruption in KSDL.
Did BJP state president BY Vijayendra have a role in those irregularities?"
He went on to say: "In the wake of actress Tamannaah Bhatia being appointed as KSDL's brand ambassador, BJP functionaries are making loud statements. But where were these functionaries when large-scale scams occurred under the chairmanship of Madal Virupakshappa during the tenure of the BJP govt?"
Patil said the decision to appoint Tamannaah was made purely on commercial grounds.
"An expert committee reviewed several factors before making the decision. Other celebrities were considered, but they were under contract with competing brands," he said.
He said some of those who initially opposed the move later acknowledged the govt's reasoning. "They later contacted me and expressed their satisfaction with measures being taken to expand KSDL's reach. They admitted that they were not fully aware of the facts initially," he said.
Patil said KSDL has added 23 new products to its portfolio and plans to introduce dishwashing items and perfumes. Mysore Sales International Ltd (MSIL) is also being overhauled. "We have introduced digitisation measures aimed at increasing MSIL's annual transactions to Rs 10,000 crore by 2030. Additionally, MSIL's stationery division has been revived, including the relaunch of 'Lekhak' notebooks," he said.
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