Siddaramaiah is 'biggest borrowing CM', says Ashoka

Bengaluru:  Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka on Wednesday described Chief Minister Siddaramaiah as "Biggest Borrowing CM" and criticised the Congress government for its borrowings.

Juxtaposing Siddaramaiah's record of becoming the longest-serving CM with the government's borrowings, Ashoka said: "The title of 'longest-serving CM' is merely a statistic. The title of 'Biggest Borrowing CM' is a legacy."

Ashoka flagged the government's plan to borrow a staggering Rs 93,000 crore in January-March quarter of this fiscal. "This cannot be called governance; it is the very definition of panic-driven financial management. This debt surge is driven by a collapsing fiscal structure," he said in a tweeted statement.

The government, Ashoka said, is borrowing to repay previous loans and fund "unsustainable" guarantee schemes. The government is borrowing "because fundamental economic planning failed, leading to a cash flow collapse."

The government's borrowings "is a clear indicator of fiscal stress," Ashoka argued.

"CM Siddaramaiah must realise that history does not honour the hollow record of time spent in office. It will judge the track record of legacy left behind," he said. "And what is being left behind today is undeniable: mountain of debt, clear trail of inefficiency and a mortgaged future."