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Fix leadership question before winter session, Oppn tells CM
BJP's B Y Vijayendra urges Congress to resolve internal leadership issues before the winter legislature session, warning it could hinder addressing farmers' concerns.
State BJP chief B Y Vijayendra on Tuesday asked the Congress government to settle its internal leadership dispute before the winter session of the legislature begins in Belagavi next month, arguing that the ongoing political friction would make it difficult for the administration to address the concerns of farmers and people across the state.
Vijayendra warned that the upcoming session, scheduled to begin on December 8, would not serve its purpose if the ruling party continued to focus on internal competition instead of legislative work.
“From December 8, the winter session of the state legislature will begin in Belagavi, and people are waiting with frustration to get a response to several issues faced by the state, especially in the north Karnataka region and by farmers during the session. But the competition is going on in the ruling party for the chief minister’s chair,” he said.
He urged chief minister Siddaramaiah to resolve the leadership question before the session begins. “I want to tell the chief minister that the state doesn’t want an acting or outgoing chief minister. Before coming for the Belagavi session, resolve the ongoing fight for the CM chair in your party. If the fight continues during the session, you will not be able to respond to or address the issues faced by the farmers and the state,” he said. Vijayendra questioned the effectiveness of holding the session under the current circumstances and suggested the government either come prepared or “postpone the session.” He also said the government had “failed” to address the concerns of sugarcane and maize farmers.
Meanwhile, according to people familiar with the developments, state IT-BT, rural development and panchayati raj minister Priyank Kharge held a private meeting with Rahul Gandhi to explain the internal situation in Karnataka. After returning to Bengaluru, he met chief minister Siddaramaiah and deputy chief minister Shivakumar separately and conveyed the message delivered by Rahul Gandhi.
Opposition leader R Ashoka said the ruling party’s internal issues were becoming increasingly visible. “This government is guaranteed to fall, this chair fight has been going on in the room for so long, and now it will come out on the road,” he said.
Speaking in Kalaburagi, Ashoka said Siddaramaiah had shifted from saying he would be chief minister for five years to now saying he would follow the high command’s decision. He also said, “Dodda Kharge has a dream of becoming the CM.”
Ashoka criticised the government’s handling of rural distress. He said no one was listening to the problems of farmers facing crop damage, inadequate compensation, and delays in finalising sugarcane prices. He added that senior officials had not visited affected districts and also questioned the overall stability of the government.
