BJP demands white paper on Karnataka's financial health ahead of budget

The Assembly session in Karnataka is scheduled to begin on March 3, and this will be Siddaramaiah's 16th budget presentation

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has criticised Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, alleging that his government has pushed the state towards a financial crisis. The BJP state president BY Vijayendra on Wednesday demanded that the chief minister release a white paper detailing Karnataka’s financial condition before presenting the budget on March 7. 

 

The Assembly session is set to begin on March 3, and this will be Siddaramaiah’s 16th budget presentation. Vijayendra accused the Congress government of financial mismanagement, claiming that the five ‘guarantee schemes’ introduced by the party have placed an unsustainable burden on the state’s economy.

BJP alleges Karnataka is heading for ‘bankruptcy’

Vijayendra alleged that Karnataka is on the brink of bankruptcy, blaming the Congress-led government for reckless spending on welfare schemes without proper financial planning. He questioned the chief minister’s claim that the state is financially stable and accused the Congress of misleading the people.

 

 

“The people of Karnataka are paying a heavy price for the so-called free schemes promised by the Congress government. These guarantees are not free — they come at the cost of Karnataka’s financial stability,” Vijayendra said during a press conference in Bengaluru.

 

He further said that despite taking loans amounting to Rs 1.19 trillion in the past two years, the government failed to ensure financial discipline.

Congress’ five guarantee schemes under dire

The BJP leader criticised the five key schemes launched by the Congress government. He claimed that the state is facing financial crisis because of the following schemes:

 

Gruha Jyothi – Offers 200 units of free electricity per household.

 

Gruha Lakshmi – Provides Rs 2,000 per month to women heading households.

 

Anna Bhagya – Distributes 10 kg of free rice per month to each member of a BPL family.

 

Yuva Nidhi – Grants RS 3,000 per month to unemployed graduates and Rs 1,500 per month to unemployed diploma holders (ages 18-25) for two years.

 

Shakti – Allows women to travel free of cost on government-run non-luxury buses within Karnataka.

KSRTC on the verge of collapse?

One of the most pressing financial concerns raised by Vijayendra was the condition of the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC). He alleged that due to the Shakti scheme, which allows free travel for women, the government owes Rs 7,000 crore to KSRTC but has failed to clear these dues.

 

“As a result, KSRTC is on the verge of closure. The government has no proper financial planning, and this is the harsh reality Karnataka is facing,” he said.

 

Price hikes under Congress rule

 

Vijayendra listed several price hikes that have taken place under the Congress government, contradicting claims of supporting the common people:

 

* Property guidance value increased by 30 per cent.

 

* Property registration fees went up by 600 per cent.

 

* Bangalore Metro Rail fares increased by 50 per cent – making it the most expensive metro ride in India.

 

* Milk prices surged by 15 per cent.

 

* Vehicle registration charges rose by 10 per cent.

 

* Water prices increased by 30 per cent.

 

* Hospital service charges gone up by 5 per cent.

 

Vijayendra also criticised CM Siddaramaiah for blaming the Centre for the hike in Metro fares. He argued that no other Metro Rail Corporation in India had implemented such a steep price increase.

 

Growing tensions within Congress?

Apart from attacking the government’s financial policies, Vijayendra also hinted at an internal power struggle within the Congress party. He claimed that there is a growing competition for the Chief Minister’s post, despite Siddaramaiah asserting that his leadership is stable.

 

“In Congress, the battle for the Chief Minister’s chair has been going on for a long time. However, because of our issues, it was not visible. But now, the competition is becoming more aggressive,” he said.

 

Reacting to these claims, Karnataka’s Minister for Commerce and Industries, M B Patil dismissed any internal conflicts and assured that the Congress high command is in control.

 

“We have a high command in the Congress party, and it is watching everything. Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and the AICC General Secretaries are supreme. Other things are irrelevant,” Patil said.