BENGALURU : The Congress, which had set a narrative with its ‘PayCM’ campaign against the previous BJP government led by Basavaraj Bommai during the 2023 Assembly polls, has launched a new ‘chombu’ (vessel) campaign against the Centre in the ensuing Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka.
Coinciding with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the city, Congress leaders, including MLA Rizwan Arshad and AICC secretary Abhishek Dutt, staged a demonstration at Mehkri Circle under the leadership of AICC general secretary and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala.
Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda and Bengaluru North Lok Sabha candidate Prof MV Rajeev Gowda held similar protests seperately.
“When the people and farmers of Karnataka asked for drought relief, the BJP government gave an empty ‘chombu’. In the 15th Finance Commission, when we asked for the share due to the state, the Centre gave us ‘chombu’,” alleged Surjewala.
Further, he highlighted that the budgetary promise of Rs 5,300 crore for the implementation of the Upper Bhadra Project has not been released, the state getting a mere Rs 13 as its share against Rs 100 paid as tax to the Centre. Also, the peripheral ring road in Bengaluru did not get the required funds, he added.
“So this time around, the people of Karnataka and the country will give BJP an empty ‘chombu’ in the election,” he mocked.
Ahead of the 2023 Assembly polls, the Congress had made use of 40 per cent commission allegation by the contractors to launch the ‘PayCM’ campaign, and this time around, it has been harping on the alleged step-motherly treatment meted out to the state by the Modi government at the Centre over issues of tax devolution and NDRF funds against drought relief.