Shivamogga, Dec 13 (IANS) Karnataka BJP on Saturday claimed that there is a tussle between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar (DKS) over the leadership, noting that there is no unity among them, but they (Siddaramaiah and DKS) are sharpening knives at each other.
“For the past two years, Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar have been chanting the mantra of unity, but are now sharpening knives against each other, and the consequences of this tussle are being felt by the state. The issue of the Chief Minister is not merely an internal matter of the Congress; he is the Chief Minister of the state,” said BJP state chief and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra while addressing media persons in Shivamogga.
He said that the rivalry over the Chief Minister’s post has intensified, adding that Siddaramaiah says he will abide by the high command’s decision.
“When Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge visited Bengaluru, he (Kharge) spoke helplessly,” Vijayendra said.
On Yathindra Siddaramaiah, son of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, stating that his father will be the Chief Minister for a full term, Vijayendra said, who is the Congress high command — Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, or Yathindra Siddaramaiah?.
“Even Congress MLAs are raising this question,” he claimed.
He further claimed that with a tussle underway for the Chief Minister’s post, the issue will not be resolved anytime soon.
“What is the purpose of holding a winter session under these circumstances? I had suggested that it be postponed, if possible,” Vijayendra said.
He alleged that due to this confusion, the state’s administrative machinery has completely collapsed.
“We had said that the session should be held only after resolving the leadership issue. Only then can farmers’ problems and other issues be properly addressed,” he noted.
Vijayendra said he had drawn the Chief Minister’s attention even before the start of the Belagavi winter session, urging that pressing issues concerning farmers, agricultural labourers, the poor, and weavers, among others, should be discussed in the House.
Vijayendra criticised the ruling party and ministers, stating that it was truly unfortunate that they lacked even the patience to listen to Opposition leaders and respond to issues.
He said the problems of sugarcane growers remain unresolved. “Around 54 lakh metric tonnes of maize are being cultivated in the state. Maize farmers are demanding the opening of procurement centres. Although the Centre has fixed a support price of Rs 2,400, procurement centres have not been opened at the appropriate time,” he alleged.
As a result, farmers are being forced to sell maize to brokers and middlemen at Rs 1,600–1,700 per quintal, he said.
Vijayendra further alleged that even three months after announcing crop compensation, it has not been properly disbursed.
He said that due to heavy rains, roads across the state are filled with potholes, adding that there is no development in the state, corruption has crossed all limits, and the government is not responding to farmers’ distress.
--IANS
mka/dan