Congress-led K'taka govt is bankrupt, says former CM Yediyurappa

Bengaluru, July 8 (IANS) BJP Central Parliamentary Board member and former Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, on Tuesday, alleged that the Congress-led state government has gone "completely bankrupt" as it does not have enough funds to release for undertaking any development work in the state.

Addressing the media at the State BJP Office "Jagannath Bhavan", in Bengaluru, Yediyurappa said, "We have repeatedly pointed out that the (Congress) government is bankrupt. No development work is taking place in the state. The government is in no position to release funds for any developmental activities."

He also said that no funds have been released for the Gruha Lakshmi scheme for the past three months.

Under the Anna Bhagya scheme, the state government owes around Rs 250 crore in pending payments to lorry owners who transport foodgrains.

He urged the state government to immediately call a meeting with G.R. Shanmugappa, President of the Lorry Owners' Association, and take necessary action.

He claimed that every programme of the Congress government is merely for publicity, with no sincere attempt to implement them effectively.

"All these facts and documents clearly show that the government is bankrupt," he said.

Yediyurappa demanded that the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, and other Ministers acknowledge the ground reality and disclose the true financial status of the state.

Meanwhile, State BJP President and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra has alleged that the Congress government is sabotaging the Anna Bhagya free rice scheme that was launched by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah himself.

Speaking to the media in Shivamogga on Tuesday, Vijayendra said, "They initially promised 10 kg of rice, which was reduced to 5 kg. Now even that is being stopped."

He remarked that Karnataka is now heading towards financial bankruptcy.

He also said that the state government and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah are unable to mobilise funds.

The state government is even struggling to pay salaries to its employees, he added.

"The Chief Minister has lost control over governance. Even Congress MLAs have lost confidence in him. The government has no funds even to pay the lorry rent for transporting Anna Bhagya foodgrains, or to pay salaries to state employees. State Excise Minister R.B. Timmapur himself has admitted that some guarantee schemes may have to be discontinued," Vijayendra said in response to a query.

When asked about the tragic stampede incident during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) victory parade that led to 11 deaths, the State BJP President said, "It was the Chief Minister himself who had tweeted and invited people to the RCB felicitation event. Now they are hiding the truth and trying to blame only RCB and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA). This is part of a cover-up conspiracy."

He criticised that the stampede was a result of the prestige battle between Siddaramaiah and D.K. Shivakumar, their obsession with publicity, and stubbornness.

--IANS

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