'Yediyurappa govt has gone bankrupt, no money for development': Congress' Parameshwara

Senior Congress leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Dr G Parameshwara on Wednesday said that the Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa-led BJP government in the state has gone bankrupt and doesn't have money for any developmental works. Attacking the government, Parameshwara said, "This government does not have money. That's the reason they are not starting development work in the state and in Bengaluru."

'This government hasn't got up to work'

"We are going through traffic problems every day. Many other development works need to be kick-started but this government hasn't got up to work," he said. There may be differences with other parties and MLAs but the government should work and should think about the people of the state, he said. "Chief Minister Yediyurappa is picking and choosing MLAs to release funds while cutting funds of Congress MLAs, which clearly shows the hatred politics he is doing," added former Deputy Chief Minister.

'BJP state govt working against the people'

On Tuesday, another senior Congress leader HK Patil said that the BJP high command is not providing any support to the BS Yediyurappa-led Karnataka government, which in turn is damaging the state."BJP high command is not providing any support to Yediyurappa. He has to expand his cabinet in such a way that it does not taint his stature. The delay in state cabinet expansion is causing much damage to the state and development works are happening at a slow pace," Patil said.

Patil also accused the state government of not working in the people's interest and said, "The BJP-led state government is not working in the people's favour, it is working against the people." The Congress leader was addressing the media in Hulkoti in Gadag district on Tuesday.

Karnataka cabinet expansion expected before Assembly session

The cabinet expansion in the Karnataka government is expected to happen before the Assembly session on February 5 or by the end of this month, a senior BJP state leader said on Tuesday. “Nobody knows exactly what is going on in the mind of B. S. Yediyurappa. One thing is certain, he has decided to accommodate all those for whom he has assured a berth in the cabinet,” told Karnataka BJP spokesperson G. Madhusudhana to a news agency. 

“He will have to do it before the Assembly session starts on February 5. Before that, it will definitely happen. Some are saying that by this month-end it may be over. We will see what happens,” he added.

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Cabinet expansion not an easy task for Yediyurappa

While Yediyurappa is in favour of making all 11 turncoats as ministers to keep his promise, the central leadership is reportedly interested in inducting only 6 to 8 of them into the ministry while filling the remaining berths with party loyalists. As a result of a lack of consensus, the cabinet expansion in Karnataka has been delayed.

Currently, there are 18 ministers, including the Chief Minister in the cabinet that has a sanctioned strength of 34. The cabinet expansion will not be an easy task for Yediyurappa as he will have to strike a balance by accommodating the victorious legislators as promised and also make place for the old guard, upset at being "neglected" in the first round of the induction exercise.

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(With agency inputs)