BENGALURU: With two weeks left for the commencement of the monsoon session of the legislature, the primary Opposition BJP is all set to corner the Siddaramaiah government over the issue of shortage of fertilisers in Karnataka. The party, by projecting the Congress as anti-farmer, started a statewide protest on Monday.
Karnataka BJP president BY Vijayendra said that the party wants to highlight the plight of farmers of the state in the upcoming monsoon session.
“Fertiliser shortage is a major concern. We will also raise irrigation-related issues. We are meeting next week with the LoPs of both the Houses and other leaders to discuss the issues that we need to take up in both the Houses,” Vijayendra said.
The BJP is also planning to put the government on the mat by raising several other issues, including the Bengaluru stampede that claimed 11 lives, the plan to divide Bengaluru into five civic bodies, and the fresh caste census, among others.
Hitting out at the State Government, Vijayendra said, “CM Siddaramaiah and Agriculture Minister N Cheluvarayaswamy are blaming the Union Government for urea shortage. The fact is when the State Government demanded 5.4 lakh MT of urea, the Centre supplied more than 7 lakh MT to Karnataka. The agriculture minister has never bothered to tour the state to know the pulse of farmers... he visits only Bengaluru and Mandya. Farmers are hitting the streets to protest.”
The BJP leader said that there was no planning by the Karnataka government to distribute urea. “This has led to the present crisis. It is an artificial crisis created by the agriculture department. Farmers are paying double the market price for urea,” he said.
Meanwhile, Vijayendra alleged that CM Siddaramaiah continues to betray the marginalised sections. In the 2025-26 budget, Vijayendra alleged that Rs 1,896 crore earmarked for the development of SCs/STs was diverted to other programmes, thereby denying justice to these communities. “The CM’s hands are tied in fulfilling poll promises. They are unable to meet their guarantee schemes,” he said, adding that the BJP would raise the issue in the session.