Siddaramaiah's contribution is burden of Rs 1 lakh on each citizen of Karnataka: JD(S) leader and Ex-minister

JD(S) leader and former minister Sa Ra Mahesh criticised Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, claiming that his main contribution has been burdening each citizen with a Rs 1 lakh loan, and increasing the state's debt to Rs 7 lakh crore.

Mysuru: JD(S) leader and former minister Sa Ra Mahesh stated that the contribution of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is the imposition of a burden of a Rs 1 lakh loan on each citizen of Karnataka.

Addressing a media conference in Mysuru on Monday, Mahesh said, the duration of the term is not an achievement. “The late CM D Devaraja Urs, also from Mysuru like Siddaramaiah, did not just create a record in being the longest serving CM of Karnataka. His contributions to the development of the state and welfare of the people are immense, including the distribution of farm lands to the landless people. Siddaramaiah, who has surpassed the record of Urs as the longest serving CM of Karnataka, has only increased the debt of the Karnataka government to Rs 7 lakh crore, increasing the burden on the people,” he said.

In response to a question on MLC Dr Yathindra Siddaramaiah’s statement that the people of the backward classes should be united to stay in power, Mahesh asked, was there no other backward person than Dr Yathindra himself to be nominated as MLC?

He asked whether Dr Yathindra is still backward, despite being the son of a two-term chief minister and a medical doctor? “If serving the people is the issue, he could have served, even as a doctor. Was a CM’s post not enough for his family?” Mahesh asked.

In reply to a question on a plan by Siddaramaiah’s supporters to tour Australia and New Zealand, Mahesh said, it is unfortunate that the CM, the most powerful politician of Karnataka, who has presented 17 State Budgets, has to organise a foreign trip to the MLAs and ministers to stay in power.

Mahesh said that the people have already decided on the fate of the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government. “The Congress successfully ran a false campaign against the earlier BJP government, claiming that it was a 40% commission government, mired in corruption. But now, the people have realised that the Congress is worse than what they said about the BJP. People are suffering as the cost of living has increased. There is no law and order. In the home district of Siddaramaiah, Mysuru, Police from outside have busted narcotics manufacturing rackets. People have encroached upon government and lake lands,” he said.