No development funds this year, Dy CM Shivakumar tells MLAs; BJP calls it cost of ‘guarantee politics’

“We have to discuss financial issues with the MLAs because we have to keep aside ₹40,000 crore (for guarantees). We won’t be able to give development (grants) this year. Neither in Irrigation Department nor in PWD (Public Works Department).

“There are a lot of expectations. We will call for a CLP meeting and explain this to them. During budget discussions, the chief minister had appealed even to ministers to have patience,” Shivakumar said.

‘BJP government has left us bankrupt’

Shivakumar urged the party legislators to understand the situation and be patient while the government navigated the financial challenges. He held the previous BJP government responsible for the poor financial state.

“The previous government has left us bankrupt. They called for additional tenders and emptied our treasury. We have to fulfill our guarantees. We will keep our word. We have done it in the very first year. We will convey this to the MLAs,” he added.

After the minister’s statement, the BJP demanded a white paper on the state’s current financial status.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had presented a Budget of ₹3.27 lakh crore, including borrowings of over ₹86,000 crore, for the 2023-24 financial year. The government allocated ₹39,575 crore for the implementation of the guarantees. It is estimated that the state would need ₹52,062 crore annually to implement the five guarantees.

Also read: Siddaramaiah announces bountiful budget for Bengaluru

MLAs’ complaints

Shivakumar, also the state Congress president, said efforts would be made to ensure that the party legislators understand the situation and remain patient.

His statement came against the backdrop of several senior Congress legislators complaining to the chief minister and the party leadership that they were unable to get work done in their constituencies. They also expressed unhappiness over the ministers not cooperating with them.

Around 30 MLAs demanded the chief minister convene a CLP meeting. The meeting has been scheduled for Thursday, at a hotel in Bengaluru. Both Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah ruled out any dissent within the Congress.

“The MLAs are demanding my department (Water Resources) to take up works worth ₹10 crore to ₹300 crore. How can we grant them ₹300 crore?  We have asked them to wait. We will explain the situation to them at the legislature party meeting,” Shivakumar added.

He said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, too, had mentioned the financial state during the preparation of the Budget and asked the MLAs to have patience.

Siddaramaiah had also said that the government was finding it difficult to announce new programmes and schemes because of financial constraints.

Related: Amid murmurs of dissent, Siddaramaiah calls for CLP meet

Bills pending

“The BJP government has not cleared the pending bills of the contractors. Bills to the tune of over ₹9,000 crore are pending in the Irrigation Department alone. Hence, we are finding it challenging to announce new programmes this year,” the chief minister said on 7 July.

While urging the MLAs to be patient, he said urgent work would be taken up. “Several first-time legislators have been advised to connect with their constituents by touring their respective segments,” he said.

“The state is currently experiencing the monsoon season, with floods affecting certain areas, while others have deficit rainfall. It is important to educate these legislators in this circumstance,” Shivakumar said.

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BJP demands white paper

Condemning the statement of the deputy chief minister, BJP leaders demanded the Siddaramaiah government issue a white paper on the state’s financial condition.

“If the deputy chief minister alleges that the previous BJP government had created bankruptcy then let the ruling Congress government issue a white paper on the state’s current financial condition,” BJP state general secretary and MLC N Ravikumar told South First.

Several BJP leaders including Union Minister of State Rajeev Chandrashekhar chided the Congress government over Shivakumar’s statement, insisting that this was the result of “guarantee politics”.

Fate of Karnataka “No development” – Cost that people will hv to bear, for Rahuls guarantee politics.

Weak person like Rahuls politics will only be Appeasement n Freebies – bcoz he has nothing else to offer for a better future of any Indian.#TruthAboutCorruptCong… pic.twitter.com/dI4El2HG4c

— Rajeev Chandrasekhar 🇮🇳 (@Rajeev_GoI) July 26, 2023

“The Siddaramaiah government was able to present a big Budget because of the financial discipline maintained by our government. The tax collection and economy were in good health when we were at the helm,” he claimed.

“It is wrong on the part of the deputy chief minister to say that there would be no development works this year. They came to power assuring people of carrying out development works. If the government doesn’t provide development grants for the MLAs, how would they work,” Ravikumar asked.

‘ಅಭಿವೃದ್ಧಿ ಇಲ್ಲ – ದ್ವೇಷವೇ ಎಲ್ಲಾ’

ಬಿಜೆಪಿ ಸರ್ಕಾರ ಜಾರಿಗೆ ತಂದಿದ್ದ ಎಲ್ಲಾ ಜನೋಪಯೋಗಿ ಯೋಜನೆಗಳನ್ನು ಸಿದ್ದರಾಮಯ್ಯರವರ ಸರ್ಕಾರ ಕೈ ಬಿಟ್ಟಿದೆ.

ಬಡವರ-ಶ್ರಮಿಕರ-ರೈತರ ಹಾಗೂ ರೈತರ ಮಕ್ಕಳ ಯೋಜನೆಗಳಿಗೆ ತಿಲಾಂಜಲಿ ಹಾಡಿದೆ. pic.twitter.com/3PFeqs4TJw

— BJP Karnataka (@BJP4Karnataka) July 27, 2023

“No Development – All Hate. Siddaramaiah’s government has abandoned all the welfare schemes implemented by the BJP government,” BJP’s Karnataka unit tweeted.

“The government has dropped the development schemes meant for the poor, labourers, farmers and their children,” it added.

(With PTI inputs)