BSY's one man army cabinet hurts flood relief work: Rao

Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President Dinesh Gundu Rao charged that State government has completely failed to address the flood situation in State as it has become a ‘one-man army’.

Speaking media persons at Hubballi Airport before visiting the rain-affected areas of Dharwad district on Saturday, Rao said government machinery needs ministers to effectively handle the flood situation in entire State. Relying completely on officers to tackle the situation is not good.

Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa is not a ‘superman’. He can’t be present everywhere, he should expand the cabinet immediately so that people of Karnataka get some respite. It has already been 15 days since Yediyurappa took oath as CM and so far there been no addition of ministers, said Rao and wondered as to why there has been a delay in the cabinet expansion.

“Maybe BJP is looking for means to pacify the disqualified MLAs who helped them to come to power,” he said.

No union help

KPCC president demanded that the Union government should extend helping hand to the affected people. “So far the Union Government has not made any announcement to help the victims of floods in Karnataka. None of the Union government representatives has visited the State in this regard, he claimed though Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, Suresh Angadi had toured flood-affected areas of Dharwad and Belagavi on Friday, while Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is on a two-day flood review visit to Karnataka on Saturday and Sunday.

Rao recalled the 2009 flood situation, which battered parts of north Karnataka. “The then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had visited the affected areas within three days and announced a grant of Rs 1,600 crore for the State to take up flood relief,” he said and demanded Prime Minister Narendra Modi to tour the flood-affected areas in the State and announce the release of at least Rs 5,000 relief grant.

Rao claimed that as an opposition they were doing more work than the government. He hailed the Congress party workers who rolled up their sleeves to reach the flood-affected.

KPPC chief said former chief minister Siddaramaiah, who underwent cataract operation, will be back in action in next few days and visit Badami, which is one of the worst affected areas.