Published Feb 16, 2026 | 3:33 PM ⚊ Updated Feb 16, 2026 | 3:33 PM
Karnataka Congress leaders at the party's General Body Meeting in Bengaluru on Monday, 14 August, 2023. (Supplied)
Synopsis: Congress MLAs in Karnataka said the expenses of a 15-day foreign “study tour” on animal husbandry practices, which was said to be funded by the state government, are being borne by the delegates themselves. The clarification came after the Opposition BJP criticised the Congress government over its finances.
Following backlash, what was initially planned as a 15-day foreign “study tour” on animal husbandry practices in Australia and New Zealand by several Congress MLAs in Karnataka has been turned into a privately funded trip, with the legislators undertaking the visit at their own expense.
The controversy surfaced on 11 February, when Congress MLA C Puttarangashetty told reporters that around 20 to 22 party legislators would be undertaking an educational tour under the aegis of the Animal Husbandry Department to understand practices in other countries.
“We will be back before the state budget. The Animal Husbandry Minister is coordinating with us. Legislators from various regions of the state will be coming. Minister Venkatesh will also be coming with us,” he had said.
However, earlier the same day, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah distanced the government from the visit. Responding to questions from reporters, he said he was unaware of any such official tour and clarified that the MLAs were travelling at their own expense.
The proposed trip quickly drew criticism from the Opposition BJP, which has been targeting the Congress government over its finances, especially its expenditure on guarantee schemes.
“The chief minister is not allowing the MLAs to receive grants when they ask for them. Instead, he is allowing the ruling party MLAs to travel abroad to retain their seats,” BJP Karnataka President BY Vijayendra alleged.
Soon after the criticism began to mount, Congress leaders, who are part of the delegation, started issuing statements clarifying that the trip was not official and that they were going on their own.
Congress leaders travelling to Australia and New Zealand confirmed that while the trip has not been cancelled, adding that it was not funded by the government.
“I am going with my family at my own expense. I don’t know why the media is reporting all that,” Congress leader BM Nagaraja told South First.
The controversy also comes on the heels of a government circular banning all official foreign travel for state government officers with immediate effect until the end of 2025.
The circular, by the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms, was issued after several officials failed to submit mandatory reports on learnings and outcomes from previously undertaken trips.
Meanwhile, Karnataka Animal Husbandry Minister K Venkatesh reportedly denied that his department was conducting the tour or that he would lead the delegation.
“I don’t know why our department’s name has come up. We are not taking anyone on any tour from our department. I don’t know why statements are being made that they are going under my leadership or our department’s leadership,” he said.
Another MLA slated to travel, Yashavantharayagouda Patil, also distanced the visit from the government, reiterating that it was not linked to the Animal Husbandry Department, contrary to earlier reports and statements issued by his own party leaders.
“It has nothing to do with the government; we are going by ourselves with our own expenses,” Patil told South First.
In fact, one MLA, Raghavendra Hitnal, who was also expected to travel, told reporters on Monday that he would not be going in view of the media scrutiny.
However, the Opposition seized on the issue, linking it to the perceived leadership tussle between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, even as both leaders have reiterated multiple times that there is no such tussle.
Questioning the purpose behind the visit, Leader of Opposition R Ashoka alleged, “This is not a legislature committee tour nor a government delegation. What exactly is it? It appears to be a junket meant for political lobbying to favour Siddaramaiah.”
However, Shivakumar, who recently visited Delhi, ruled out discussions of leadership change with the high command.
While responding to questions from reporters over whether the high command has given him any clarity on the leadership issue, he had said, “We are not discussing anything on this. The party has a vision, and it has a goal in the interest of the party. The party leadership, Rahul Gandhi, Kharge, and other senior leaders, will make a call in the interest of Karnataka and the country.”
Responding to reporters’ questions about how the Opposition BJP has been claiming that there is a tussle between the chief minister and the deputy chief minister, Shivakumar said, “Tussle is there between them (BJP leaders). Not between us. There is no tussle. Has the CM ever said there is a tussle? We both have said that we will go by the party’s decision.”
He also denied having any information about the foreign tour.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
