Bengaluru: The KPCC leadership’s diktat to ministers to work for the success of party candidates in polls to BBMP scheduled for August 22 has attracted caustic criticism from within the ruling party and outside particularly at a time when the wave of suicide by farmers has shown no signs of waning and several parts of Karnataka are reeling under drought.
Prominent among these critics, former Assembly Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar, MLA, said "It is not a wise decision in the present situation when over 100 taluks are facing drought-hit situation and farmers' are committing suicide every day across the state".
On his part, Prof B.K. Chandrashekar, former minister, sought to know the need for ministers other than those elected from Bengaluru to stay put in the state capital.
Agriculture minister Krishna Byre Gowda, though elected from an Assembly constituency in Bengaluru, should visit districts in the wake of drought-like situation in many parts of the state.
“I feel ministers must visit the house of every farmer who has committed suicide in recent months. This is more important than other works,” he added.
However, another Congress leader defended the party's decision and said "not all ministers are deployed for BBMP polls but it has been made mandatory only for those legislators/ministers who were elected from Bengaluru City. However, the party should have exempted agriculture minister Krishna Byre Gowda because of serious agrarian problems witnessed in the state. Ministers have been asked to spend only two to three days during the campaign to woo voters. This is necessary as it has become a prestige issue for the Congress to win BBMP polls,” the leader added.
Karnataka Sugarcane Growers Association President Kurubur Shanthakumar told Deccan Chronicle that "the government has no shame. On the one hand distressed farmers are committing suicide daily and on the other hand drought like situation is prevailing in over 100 taluks in the state owing to failure of the monsoon. Instead of dispatching ministers and legislators to affected taluks, the government has made them in-charge of wards in Bengaluru,” he charged.
