Siddaramaiah losing grip over Congress MLAs? Karnataka CM meets leaders disgruntled over poor fund allocation, corruption

 

It is Congress versus Congress in Karnataka as Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is facing the wrath of disgruntled legislators who have alleged a “complete collapse” of the administration, paucity of development funds and rampant corruption.

 

Siddaramaiah, who tabled his record 16th state budget with an outlay of ₹4 lakh crore in March this year, is struggling to pacify his party MLAs who are resorting to public outbursts against the government, alleging that the ministers and officers are not “responsive” to the legislators.

 

Recently, Aland MLA B.R. Patil, in a leaked audio conversation with Housing Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan’s personal secretary Sarafaraz Khan, alleged that more than 950 houses under the Rajiv Gandhi Housing Corporation had been allotted against payment of bribe in his constituency.  Patil’s outburst came as a surprise as he is a Siddaramaiah loyalist, who was appointed deputy chief of the state's policy and planning commission last February after he resigned as CM’s political adviser.

 

Kagwad MLA Raju Kage too seconded Patil and said he was “frustrated” over the state of affairs in the government and was contemplating his resignation. “CM’s special grant of ₹25 crore was sanctioned two years back. But, no work order has been issued till now. The PWD and Zilla Panchayat are too busy to inspect the road work. The Ugara-Shiraguppi road laid at a cost of ₹5 crore has totally deteriorated as the contractor laid the road during rains. People are taking the legislators to task,” rued Kage.

 

“Being a ruling party MLA has helped little as ministers do not respond to our problems. I am fed up with the system and considering resigning from the House,” said Kage.

 

Sagar MLA Belur Gopalakrishna demanded the resignation of the housing minister over the bribery charges, while Molkalmuru MLA N.Y. Gopalakrishna expressed his dissatisfaction with the government at a public event and said, “Even though I am an MLA, I haven’t been able to build a drain or road or a good school in my constituency."

 

While CM’s economic advisor Basavaraj Rayareddi had flagged paucity of funds due to the “burden” of the five guarantees earlier, Home Minister G. Parameshwara, while addressing a public event in heritage city Badami recently, had admitted there were no funds in the state government.

 

 “Prepare a city plan for ₹1000 crore and send the proposal to the Centre. Siddaramanna has no money. We have given you all rice dal and oil,” Parameshara had said. However, the minister later denied having said that and claimed there was enough money in the state's coffers.

 

The rampant corruption across various departments had become obvious when Revenue Minister Krishna Byregowda Gowda, during a surprise inspection at the Bengaluru South taluk office sarcastically asked the officials what was the “running rate” (bribe) to get approvals and told them they might as well put up a rate board.

 

The opposition parties demanded the resignation of the chief minister and the housing minister. “How shameless could the CM be? The ruling party MLAs have certified the Congress government as corrupt. He must step down and uphold the dignity of the state,” said Opposition leader R. Ashok.

 

“The Congress government thinks that by giving guarantees to people, they got licence to indulge in corruption. It is better they put up a rate card for bribes. We will protest against illegal allotment of houses at the taluk and gram panchayat level,” warned BJP MLC C.T. Ravi.

 

Meanwhile, Siddaramaiah, who is back from Delhi after his meeting with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and other senior party leaders, held discussions with B.R. Patil, Raju Kage and Zameer Ahmed Khan and advised them against going public with their criticism.

 

According to sources, AICC general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala is likely to visit the state in July to bridge the rift between the party MLAs and the ministers. Also, the chief minister has approved ₹50 crore for each constituency amid brewing disgruntlement among the MLAs.

 

The legislators going public with their criticism of the government is a prelude to the possible cabinet reshuffle and the replacement of the state president in the coming months, and not necessarily a sign of revolt against the chief minister, contend CM’s aides. 

India