Sirsi, 1 Dec

Karnataka BJP President BY Vijayendra on Monday claimed that the state’s administrative machinery has “completely collapsed” as competition within the Congress for the chief minister’s post intensifies, with seven to eight senior legislators and ministers allegedly in the race.

Speaking to reporters, he said the Congress government has “neglected farmers in distress” while engaged in internal power tussles. BJP, he added, will press for discussions on farmers’ welfare, issues concerning north Karnataka, and irrigation during the Belagavi winter session from 8 December.

Vijayendra dismissed suggestions that the BJP might join hands with a Congress faction, saying the mandate placed the BJP in opposition and it intends to remain an “effective opposition”.

Accusing the Siddaramaiah government of discontinuing several farmer-centric initiatives, he noted that the previous BJP government provided an additional Rs 4,000 under PM-Kisan and implemented the Raita Vidya Nidhi scholarship scheme, both of which he said have been halted. No minister, he alleged, has visited flood-affected farmers.

He further accused the government of failing to submit progress reports required for central scheme funding, instead “blaming the Centre to hide its own failures”. Opposition leaders and JD(S) have coordinated their strategy for the upcoming session, he added.