BENGALURU: With less than a week left for the commencement of the Karnataka Assembly session and the introduction of the state budget, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state president B Y Vijayendra hit out at Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday for the increased prices and asked about the state’s ‘actual financial situation’.
While the Assembly session will commence on March 3, the budget will be introduced by CM Siddaramaiah on March 7. This will be his 16th budget.
Refuting the claims of the CM that the state is prosperous, Vijayendra said at a press conference here in Bengaluru, “The Chief Minister of the state is presenting his 16th budget, setting a record in budget presentations. Although he is an experienced CM, today’s press conference has been organized to highlight the reality of the financial situation”.
The BJP leader also criticised the Congress government in Karnataka over their ‘guarantees’, claiming that they have not helped the people at all. “The CM claims that the state is prosperous. Siddaramaiah is under the illusion that people from all sections are doing well because of the guarantee schemes. However, the Congress government is responsible for price hikes”, he added.
Vijayendra also mentioned the price increases in daily commodities like water, bus fares, milk along with even vehicle registration charges, hospital charges also getting increased. “Vehicle registration charges have increased by 10 per cent, hospital service charges have gone up by 5 per cent, Water prices have increased by 30 pc, milk prices have risen by 15 pc and bus fares have also increased”, he said.
The BJP leader also commented on the power struggle within the Congress party in the state, saying that there is an ‘intense competition’ for the CM’s chair. “In the Congress, there has been an intense competition for the Chief Minister’s chair for a long time. However, because of other issues, it was not clearly visible but now, the competition for the CM position is happening more aggressively”, Vijayendra said.
He even challenged the CM’s claim that his position is secure, adding “His supporting ministers have informed the High Command that Siddaramaiah’s decision is final, and if not, they will find their own path. Siddaramaiah’s claim that his position is secure is far from reality”.
On Tuesday, Heavy Industries Minister M B Patil addressed the ongoing discussion about the Chief Minister’s position in the state and said that party’s high command is keeping a close watch on the situation.
Speaking to the media, Patil said, “We have high command in the Congress party, and it is watching everything. In all issues, the high command is supreme. Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and AICC General Secretaries are supreme. Other things are irrelevant, I don’t want to speak anything else…”
He mentioned that Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and AICC General Secretaries are supreme. And he also called the whole situation irrelevant. (ANI)