Karnataka: Congress challenges Centre to 'dissolve Assembly' over COVID mismanagement

Slamming the state government for mismanagement of floods and the COVID-19 pandemic, Karnataka Congress unit President DK Shivakumar on Sunday took an aim at the ruling BJP party as he asked the members to “dissolve the assembly and go to elections.” The former then questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi for visiting the flood-ravaged regions of the West Bengal state earlier but not coming to Karnataka. “People are struggling to save their lives due to flood and COVID. The government has failed to save them,” the enraged President of the opposition Congress party told ANI. Furthermore, he challenged, “Dissolve this assembly and go to people and get a fresh mandate. Let us see who will form a new government.” 

Congress’ Shivakumar, in further trade of barbs, stressed that the Karnataka state has been hit by the floods for the past three years, consecutively. “From our party under the leadership of R V Deshpande and Satish Jarakiholi, teams have gone and inspected the flood-affected regions,” he stressed in a tone of leverage. He goes on to add, “More than ten MLAs from your own party [BJP], and even then you couldn't visit the flood-hit areas last year, why?” Furthermore, he alleged that the Central government has been discriminating against the state sparking a row over the flood visits. “Previously when West Bengal and other states were flood-affected, the Prime minister himself visited there. But why didn't he come to Karnataka?” The Congress unit chief for Karmanataka state reiterated. 

“Why wasn't proper compensation given to Karnataka? Why is the Centre doing this discrimination? Why aren't the BJP MPs putting pressure on the Centre?” Karnataka Congress unit President DK Shivakumar on July 25 asked, denouncing the ruling government. 

Congress Karnataka unit president hails his party's 'COVID-19 contributions'

DK Shivakumar hailed the work for his own party, stating that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the members of Congress “did what the government could not do” without further elaborating on the party’s contributions. Although, he added, that during COVID, Congress party-workers "observed everything.” The Congress unit chief further said that his party “took good decisions,” saying that the members extended a helping hand to the migrant labourers and farmers. “People have observed us purchasing the crops from the farmers in this period,” he said.