Oppn MLAs doubtful of receiving funds for their segments in Karnataka

Bengaluru: A day after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced that Rs 50 crore would be allocated to each of the 224 Assembly constituencies, opposition lawmakers claimed that they had not received letters intimating them about the allocation of funds for their respective segments.

Accusing Siddaramaiah of behaving like the “CM of the Congress party”,  BJP and JD(S) legislators further accused the chief minister of having invited only Congress lawmakers to a meeting he had convened on July 30 on 31.

Although the Chief Minister’s Office has confirmed that Rs 50 crore will be disbursed to all the constituencies, opposition MLAs remain sceptical about funds being released for development of their segments.

Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R Ashoka said that Congress MLAs had managed to secure funds for their constituencies through ‘Super CM’ AICC general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala. “I appeal to Surjewala to ensure disbursal of funds for constituencies represented by BJP and JD(S) MLAs,” said Ashoka.

Karnataka BJP president B Y Vijayendra too charged CM Siddaramaiah with releasing funds only to the constituencies represented by Congress MLAs.

Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in the Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy said that Vijayendra’s challenge to the Congress to declare AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge its Prime Ministerial face was a valid one. “Instead of treating Dalits as its vote bank, let the Congress declare Kharge as its Prime Ministerial candidate,” said Chalavadi.

He further added that the Congress, if it truly believed that Siddaramaiah was the champion of the backward classes, must consider declaring the Karnataka CM its PM face.