<p>Bengaluru: Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly R Ashoka on Wednesday alleged that the derogatory language used by the Congress leaders amid the ongoing power struggle between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar has lowered the dignity of the chief minister’s chair.</p>.<p>He was referring to statements by Social Welfare Minister H C Mahadevappa that “The tail is wagging the dog,” reportedly suggesting that those without primary authority were controlling the leadership narrative.</p>.<p>Ashoka said, “When senior leaders compare the fight for the chief minister’s post to dogs fighting on the street, it lowers the dignity of the chief minister’s chair.”</p>.<p>The controversy has escalated after Congress leader D K Suresh countered Mahadevappa’s remarks, saying “original Congressmen are loyal dogs,” indicating that the chief minister and his followers were “outsiders” (partyhoppers).</p>.<p>“Now, Congress should clarify who is a stray dog and who is the loyal one. Is this how the ruling party speaks about its leadership? The dignity of the government and the sanctity of the Vidhana Soudha have been compromised. Such public exchange has turned the chief minister’s post into a joke,” <br>Ashoka said.</p>.<p>Mocking Shivakumar’s statement that he had the backing of “all 140 MLAs”, including Siddaramaiah, Ashoka said, “Whose supporters are the legislators who are on a foreign tour? Legislators on the foreign tour are all Siddaramaiah’s supporters.”</p>.R Ashoka dares Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah not to ‘divert’ SCSP/TSP funds for guarantees.<p>“This is just a small injection for Shivakumar. If this tussle continues, soon all legislators will fly abroad. Also, Siddaramaiah has denied the power-sharing agreement and said he will table the budget.”</p>.<p>“Shivakumar has claimed there was a pact that Siddaramaiah would reveal at the right time. Isn’t this blackmail politics? The chief minister must clarify if there is a power-sharing agreement or not,” Ashoka demanded, also urging Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to respond.</p>.<p>‘Pauper CM should not present budget’</p>.<p>Alleging that the government lacks funds, Ashoka said Siddaramaiah is a “pauper CM” and should not present the budget.</p>.<p>“The state government has not released financial aid (Rs 75 crore) to feed over 24,000 destitute children for the past seven months. Karnataka had vowed that no child would go hungry, but this regime has let them starve,” he said.</p>.<p>He added that the Gruha Lakshmi and Anna Bhagya instalments for February and March had not been released either.</p>.<p>The state road transport employees are going on a strike because the government has failed to pay the arrears for 38 months. The government has gone bankrupt, charged Ashoka.</p>.<p>Ashoka also alleged large-scale corruption in tenders.</p>.<p>“The chief minister is evasive. The ministers are indulging in a ‘package deal’. The Contractors’ Association has accused the government of favouring Andhra Pradesh-based firms in Kalyana Karnataka Region Development Board works, as they don’t want local contractors to expose them. Telangana is developing at our cost, as it is a match fixing between the two governments,” he <br />claimed.</p>.<p>“The ministers are sending huge amounts of money to Rahul Gandhi for the upcoming elections,” he charged.</p>
<p>Bengaluru: Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly R Ashoka on Wednesday alleged that the derogatory language used by the Congress leaders amid the ongoing power struggle between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar has lowered the dignity of the chief minister’s chair.</p>.<p>He was referring to statements by Social Welfare Minister H C Mahadevappa that “The tail is wagging the dog,” reportedly suggesting that those without primary authority were controlling the leadership narrative.</p>.<p>Ashoka said, “When senior leaders compare the fight for the chief minister’s post to dogs fighting on the street, it lowers the dignity of the chief minister’s chair.”</p>.<p>The controversy has escalated after Congress leader D K Suresh countered Mahadevappa’s remarks, saying “original Congressmen are loyal dogs,” indicating that the chief minister and his followers were “outsiders” (partyhoppers).</p>.<p>“Now, Congress should clarify who is a stray dog and who is the loyal one. Is this how the ruling party speaks about its leadership? The dignity of the government and the sanctity of the Vidhana Soudha have been compromised. Such public exchange has turned the chief minister’s post into a joke,” <br>Ashoka said.</p>.<p>Mocking Shivakumar’s statement that he had the backing of “all 140 MLAs”, including Siddaramaiah, Ashoka said, “Whose supporters are the legislators who are on a foreign tour? Legislators on the foreign tour are all Siddaramaiah’s supporters.”</p>.R Ashoka dares Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah not to ‘divert’ SCSP/TSP funds for guarantees.<p>“This is just a small injection for Shivakumar. If this tussle continues, soon all legislators will fly abroad. Also, Siddaramaiah has denied the power-sharing agreement and said he will table the budget.”</p>.<p>“Shivakumar has claimed there was a pact that Siddaramaiah would reveal at the right time. Isn’t this blackmail politics? The chief minister must clarify if there is a power-sharing agreement or not,” Ashoka demanded, also urging Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to respond.</p>.<p>‘Pauper CM should not present budget’</p>.<p>Alleging that the government lacks funds, Ashoka said Siddaramaiah is a “pauper CM” and should not present the budget.</p>.<p>“The state government has not released financial aid (Rs 75 crore) to feed over 24,000 destitute children for the past seven months. Karnataka had vowed that no child would go hungry, but this regime has let them starve,” he said.</p>.<p>He added that the Gruha Lakshmi and Anna Bhagya instalments for February and March had not been released either.</p>.<p>The state road transport employees are going on a strike because the government has failed to pay the arrears for 38 months. The government has gone bankrupt, charged Ashoka.</p>.<p>Ashoka also alleged large-scale corruption in tenders.</p>.<p>“The chief minister is evasive. The ministers are indulging in a ‘package deal’. The Contractors’ Association has accused the government of favouring Andhra Pradesh-based firms in Kalyana Karnataka Region Development Board works, as they don’t want local contractors to expose them. Telangana is developing at our cost, as it is a match fixing between the two governments,” he <br />claimed.</p>.<p>“The ministers are sending huge amounts of money to Rahul Gandhi for the upcoming elections,” he charged.</p>
