BJP MLA accepts CM Siddaramaiah’s challenge for debate, accuses Cong of misusing govt event

Mysuru: Accepting Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s challenge during the Sadhana Samavesha on Saturday, for a debate on the finances and development in Karnataka, BJP MLA T S Srivathsa alleged that Samavesha, the government programme held in Mysuru, was misused to glorify Siddaramaiah and the Congress party.

Addressing a press conference at Sachin Rajendra Bhavan, the BJP office in Mysuru, on Monday, Srivathsa said, “It was a Congress rally at the expense of the Karnataka State government.

"There was a violation of protocol in the invitation card and Congress general secretary and Rajya Sabha Member Randeep Singh Surjewala’s name was included. Then, the name of former prime minister and Rajya Sabha Member H D Deve Gowda could also have been included. Except for H D Kumaraswamy’s name, no Central Minister’s name was mentioned,” he said.

Srivathsa said, “The Sadhana Samavesha was a show of strength rally, a blackmail rally, under the guise of a government programme. What is the connection between the achievement rally and Surjewala, who is Congress Karnataka in-charge? Did they hold the rally with Surjewala as the central figure?”

“The Congress held a one-point programme to insult Prime Minister Narendra Modi. But, they forget that the Modi government has provided Rs 2,627 crore for national highway projects alone for Karnataka. It has given money for the construction of railway underbridges in Mysuru. Under Jal Jeevan Mission, Mysuru district has received Rs 1,393 crore. They held an achievement rally, without mentioning any of the contributions of the Union government to Karnataka and Mysuru,” he said.

“Under Mudra Yojana alone, Mysuru district has received over Rs 3,000 crore to benefit 5,38,000 people. Under Vishwakarma Yojana, 6,000 people are being trained. Yet, they said that the Centre has given nothing to Mysuru district,” Srivathsa said.

“Let the Congress leaders come for an open debate on this issue. I accept the CM’s challenge for a debate, given at the Sadhana Samavesha. Tell us how much of the grants are from the Centre, and how much is the State government’s?” asked the BJP MLA.

Ex-mayor Shivakumar, BJP city (district) president and ex-MLA L Nagendra, vice-president Jogi Manju, media coordinators Mahesh Raje Urs, Dayanand Patel, and Ma Mohan and office secretary Nandakumar were present.