Belagavi (Karnataka), Dec 8 (IANS) While attacking the Congress party over the statement of its leader Navjot Kaur Sidhu, wife of cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu, that only those leaders paying Rs 500 crore can become Chief Minister in Punjab, the Karnataka BJP has said that if Punjab’s rate is Rs 500 crore, what’s Karnataka’s?

The Leader of Opposition R. Ashoka stated on Monday that, “If a small state like Punjab has a rate of Rs 500 crore, then one can imagine how much the Congress high command might have fixed for the Chief Minister’s chair in a resource-rich state like Karnataka.”

“Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar’s remark that the leadership change issue is a secret ‘business’ among five or six people in Delhi must probably be referring to this very matter,” Ashoka stated.

“Overall, it would not be wrong to say that whenever they come to power, the Congress high command turns Karnataka into an ‘ATM government’, and has looted Kannadigas more than even the British,” Ashoka stated.

It can be recalled that Navjot Kaur Sidhu had alleged that only a politician offering a Rs 500 crore suitcase becomes Punjab CM, sparking controversy. She claimed her husband could transform Punjab if empowered, but they lacked funds for party donations and stirred a huge controversy at the national level.

Speaking to the media on Monday, Opposition Leader in the Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy attacked the Congress-led government in Karnataka. “It is a looting government. We are prepared to teach this looting government a befitting lesson.”

He has further urged the state government to resolve the issues of the people or resign from office.

Narayanaswamy responded to questions related to the ongoing session. He said the government is responsible for several problems — those of farmers, teachers, and students; the government’s failure to respond to floods and droughts affecting farmers; issues concerning maize procurement; and the problems of sugarcane growers.

“We must continue our fight by bringing all these issues to the fore,” he said.

He alleged that the government had completely neglected the issues of North Karnataka, including those of the Kalyana Karnataka and Kittur Karnataka regions. “I have written to the Chairman seeking priority to be given to matters concerning North Karnataka,” he added.

He criticised the government, saying they were bringing Bengaluru-centric and other unrelated issues into the session. Replying to another question, he said, “For those who cannot dance, the ground always seems uneven. This government is unable to perform. It is a looting government. We are prepared to teach this looting government a befitting lesson.”

He added, “This ‘I give, you give up’ style of governance is not acceptable to the people. Your power-sharing issues are your problem, not ours. There are real issues. Resolve them. Otherwise, resign.”

He recalled that even in the previous session, matters related to North Karnataka were raised, but discussions were not held. “The session was abruptly adjourned,” he said, insisting that the issues of North Karnataka be discussed from the very beginning of the current session.

He accused the government of favouring Congress MLAs with higher grants while allocating less to opposition MLAs, saying this showed discriminatory governance. Responding to another question, he said they demanded that this session should not become a waste of time.

–IANS

mka/dpb