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As K’taka grapples with floods, BJP busy playing politics: Congress
A day after the BS Yediyurappa resigned from his post of the Karnataka chief minister, the Congress party attacked the BJP for not paying attention to the flood-affected areas of the state
A day after the BS Yediyurappa resigned from his post of the Karnataka chief minister, the Congress party attacked the BJP for not paying attention to the flood-affected areas of the state.
On Monday, Karnataka Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot accepted Yediyurappa’s resignation and asked him to continue as the caretaker CM till the next CM takes oath while dissolving the council of ministers headed by Yediyurappa with immediate effect.
Eshwar Khandre, working president of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) said that the state doesn’t have a government when it is going through a severe calamity. “When people have lost their livelihoods, the legislators of the BJP are fighting within for power. The BJP has failed the people,” he said.
He added that people have seen misgovernance from the BJP and the party will not last long in power. “As per my assessment, because of the fights within the party, there will be a requirement for fresh elections,” Khandre said.
Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly Siddaramaiah, too, took on the BJP, alleging that the Centre has failed to come to the aid of the state during the floods. He said this was witnessed during the 2019 floods and the current situation.
Siddaramaiah told reporters here on Tuesday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi neither visited the state during the 2019 floods when the condition was severe nor during the current situation.
“The state government has also not released funds to aid the flood-affected people. It should cut down on other unwanted expenses and mobilise funds to manage the flood situation and provide relief to the affected. Managing the flood situation should be the first priority of the government, he said.
The former chief minister said Congress party leaders are visiting the flood-affected areas and would submit a report to the government to provide funds for flood-affected areas. “We shall also demand convening of a legislative session to discuss the flood situation,” he noted. Siddaramaiah later left for Khanapur and Hukkeri taluks to inspect the flood situation.
The flood situation in Karnataka continues to remain grim with 10 people losing their lives in rain-related incidents and two people reported missing so far. Even though former chief minister BS Yediyurappa on Sunday said that he would write to the Centre to release funds for carrying out flood relief work, officials in the know of the developments said no such letter has been written so far.
Districts of the Belagavi, Uttara Kannada, Dharwad and Haveri bore the brunt of the heavy downpour among the 11 affected districts.
(With inputs from PTI)
