‘Directionless, zero progress budget by Siddaramaiah govt’: Former CM Basavaraj Bommai

HAVERI: Former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Friday said that the state budget, presented by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, is a directionless, zero-progress budget, which will take the state to the brink of debt, and will have a far-reaching impact on the state’s finances.

Speaking to the media in Haveri, he said that the budget presented by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is poor, a budget with zero development and zero progress.

“New taxes have been imposed, and a deficit budget of Rs 22,000 crore has been presented. Directionless, zero progress budget, which will take the state to the brink of debt. This will have a far-reaching impact on the state’s finances. It will take the state back ten to 15 years. He said that he was disappointed by this and did not expect this from a CM who has presented the budget 17 times”, he said.

ಒಳ ಮೀಸಲಾತಿ ವಿಚಾರದಲ್ಲಿ ಸರ್ಕಾರದ ಸಚಿವರ ನಡುವೆ ಗೊಂದಲ ಉಂಟಾಗಿದ್ದು, ಇದರಿಂದ ದಲಿತ ಸಮಾಜಕ್ಕೆ ಅನ್ಯಾಯವಾಗುತ್ತಿದೆ. ಒಳ ಮೀಸಲಾತಿ ಕಾನೂನು ಮಾಡಿರುವುದೇ ಸರ್ಕಾರ. ಬೆಳಗಾವಿ ಅಧಿವೇಶನದಲ್ಲಿ ಕಾಯ್ದೆಗೆ ಒಪ್ಪಿಗೆ ಪಡೆದು ರಾಜ್ಯಪಾಲರ ಅನುಮೋದನೆಯೂ ಪಡೆದಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಮೀಸಲಾತಿ ಪ್ರಮಾಣವನ್ನು 17% ಮಾಡಿದ್ದರೂ ಅದನ್ನು ಜಾರಿಗೆ ತರದೇ ಇರುವುದು ಹೇಗೆ… pic.twitter.com/iC3kjHB77G

— Basavaraj S Bommai (@BSBommai) March 6, 2026

He further stated that, for example, only Rs 22,000 crore has been allocated for irrigation, and Rs 25,000 crore should have been allocated for the Krishna Upper River Project. “However, no funds have been allocated. There is less funding for health and rural development. What kind of a budget have they presented”? he questioned.

Responding to a question about the internal reservation confusion, he said, “The government has made the internal reservation law, which was approved in the Belagavi session, and the Governor’s approval was obtained. How can it be said that the reservation rate has been increased to 17 per cent, and now it will not be given? The Advocate General himself has filed an affidavit in this regard”.

He also said that the court has not given any direction, and on that lame pretext, injustice is being done to the Dalit community. “The Dalit community is vehemently opposing this.”
He said that if the government does not implement internal reservation immediately, the BJP will also fight fiercely. (ANI)