Karnataka Bharatiya Janata Party President BY Vijayendra launched a blistering attack on Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday, accusing him of turning the state legislature into a political tool to save his own skin. The outburst comes just days before a joint session scheduled for January 22, where the Congress government plans to officially challenge the Centre’s new VB-G RAM G Act— the legislation that recently replaced the long-standing MGNREGA scheme.
Vijayendra told reporters that the Chief Minister is essentially using "false propaganda" against Central schemes to distract from his own internal troubles. He said that the VB-G RAM G ACT is designed by the Modi government to help the poor, but the state cabinet has already promised to derail it and go to court over it. The BJPs leader says that Siddaramaiah cares more about bickering with the NDA rather than talking about what really matters— the welfare of Karnataka people.
"The House should be a place for development, not a stage to pit people against the Centre," Vijayendra said, adding that Siddaramaiah’s frequent talk about federalism feels hollow when he is "conspiring to weaken the federal system." He even suggested that the timing of the session is a "smart move" to sideline Deputy CM DK Shivakumar and buy more time as the internal power-sharing debate heats up within the Congress.
The backdrop to this political sparring is a tense atmosphere in the state. Speculation about a leadership change has been rife since the government hit its two-and-a-half-year mark in November. Meanwhile, Vijayendra also addressed the possibility of a BJP "padayatra" (foot march) from Ballari to Bengaluru. The march is intended to protest the recent violence in Ballari on New Year's Day, where a clash between supporters of Congress MLA Nara Bharath Reddy and BJP MLA G Janardhan Reddy over a banner resulted in the death of a Congress worker.
Vijayendra noted that the party is being cautious this time to avoid the "confusion" that marred their previous march to Mysuru. He confirmed that a final call on the Ballari protest will be made after he visits Delhi to consult with the national leadership, which is expected to appoint a new party president within the next few days.
Also read: Siddaramaiah rejects CM change speculation after meeting Rahul
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