BJP members refused to end their night-long protest in the Karnataka Assembly on Wednesday. They demanded the resignation of Excise Minister R.B. Thimmapur amid a bribery scandal in his department. When the House met in the morning, BJP and JD(S) members rushed to the well of the House and resumed their dharna. They shouted slogans against the Minister and the government. Leader of the Opposition R. Ashok expressed disappointment that the Minister had not stepped down despite "providing evidence". The evidence included an audio recording of a conversation between a client and an Excise official about bribery. A complaint was also filed before the Lokayukta by the affected person. Ashok said, "To uphold morality and ensure accountability, the Minister should immediately resign and allow an impartial probe." He criticized Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, saying, "If the Chief Minister fails to ask the Minister to quit, then people of the State will start wondering if he too has a share in the corruption scandal." Ashok accused the government of using money from the Excise Department to fund Congress election expenses in other states. He added, "In fact Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar is in charge of Assam and Energy Minister K.J. George is in charge of Kerala for the Congress. Karnataka has become not ATM, but RBI for the Congress high command." He questioned why action was taken only against a lower-level Excise official who asked the applicant to meet the Chief Minister and his son for a new license. The higher official, who clearly suggested bribes were needed to get a license, was not punished.