BELAGAVI: During the second phase of the Janakrosh Yatra in Belagavi, BJP state chief BY Vijayendra launched a strong verbal assault on the Congress government in the state, alleging widespread corruption, poor governance, and policy failures within just 20 months of coming to power.
Vijayendra accused CM Siddaramaiah of “misleading the public with promises that have now turned into burdens”. He criticised the state’s rising cost of living and claimed Karnataka has become the most expensive state under Congress rule.
Highlighting the National Herald case, he alleged that the Gandhi family misused public trust and turned a historical newspaper into a private financial enterprise through the Young India Trust, claiming massive profits from minimal investment.
“This is Rahul Gandhi’s development model, which even Ambani couldn’t match,” he remarked sarcastically. On minority welfare, Vijayendra accused the government of appeasement politics, citing increased scholarships for Muslim students studying abroad, financial aid for Muslim women’s marriages, and 4% contract reservation for the community. “Are there no poor people among Hindus?” he asked.
Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R Ashoka also criticised the government, denying BJP’s involvement in price hikes of essentials like petrol and milk. He predicted that Siddaramaiah would not remain CM beyond December and referred to the government’s budget as “duplicate”, warning of future tax raids.
“Congress is reduced to functioning as an ATM in Karnataka and Telangana,” he added. BJP MP Jagadish Shettar asserted that Congress will be limited to just 35 seats in the 2028 elections and claimed Siddaramaiah had lost administrative control. Karnataka is now ranked No.1 in the country for corruption, he added.