Ashoka Slams Congress as Dead Government, Says Relief Work Ignored
Ashoka said a BJP delegation is touring the North Karnataka districts to study crop loss, road damage, and houses destroyed due to incessant rains in the past one month
By : Gururaj A Paniyadi
Update: 2025-10-03 08:15 GMT
Belagavi: Leader of Opposition in Assembly R Ashoka on Friday lashed out at the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government, calling it a “dead and corrupt regime” that has failed to respond to rain-related damages and other problems of the people in Karnataka.
Speaking to reporters during his visit to Belagavi, Ashoka said a BJP delegation is touring the North Karnataka districts to study crop loss, road damage, and houses destroyed due to incessant rains in the past one month.
“People who should have been celebrating Navaratri at home have been forced onto the streets because of this negligent government. The Chief Minister and his team are in Kumbhakarna sleep. They do not understand rain, drought, or people’s pain. This is a dusta sarkara (evil government),” Ashoka charged.
The BJP leader alleged that for the past month, heavy rains and landslides have wreaked havoc in Malnad and North Karnataka, but ministers have not visited the affected areas.
“Siddaramaiah wakes up only after the BJP announces tours. His dialogues are the same—he only says the Centre should help. I want to ask the Chief Minister—he has been a minister for over 20 years, should he not have common sense? The government should have details of damage in each district. The CM should have convened meetings with the agriculture and home ministers and then sought a central survey. Has any of this been done? Have any ministers visited the affected areas like we have?” Ashoka questioned.
"This is a dead government, not alive to people’s suffering. It is only busy with power and authority,” Ashoka remarked.
“During the tenure of Yediyurappa and Bommai as Chief Ministers, I had served as Revenue Minister. We took every possible measure to help the people—we released immediate relief within 24 hours without waiting for the Centre, doubled compensation even though NDRF guidelines provided for much less, and ensured food kits reached every affected household. But this Congress government is busy with caste census while people are in distress,” he remarked.
He further said the Congress government is plagued by infighting. “From the beginning, there has been talk of who will replace Siddaramaiah—D.K. Shivakumar, Parameshwar or Jarkiholi. Is this governance or a Tughlaq durbar? Such a lowly (neech) government has not been seen before in Karnataka,” he alleged, dubbing Siddaramaiah “Benki Siddaramaiah” (one who sparks community fires).
Siddaramaiah and his colleagues remember only caste and are trying to divide communities. He is ‘Benki Siddaramaiah,” Ashoka alleged.
“There is not attention towards the rain damages. All the officials are busy with the caste census,” he added.
Ashoka also referred to the contractors’ association’s letter alleging increased corruption under Congress. The BJP government was accused of 40 percent commission. But Lokayukta gave a clean chit. Now, contractors say under Congress, it has doubled—this is an 80 percent government. Looting is the only agenda. Ministers are waiting to fill their pockets in two years before the next elections,” he said.
Predicting political change, Ashoka said, “By November or December, Siddaramaiah will be an outgoing CM. Siddaramaiah does not want to step down and Shivakumar will not give up either. Kranti is sure to come,” he said.
Taking a dig at the government’s infrastructure record, he said, “In Bengaluru, if there is a road without potholes, it should get a Nobel award. Even Congress MLAs in Davangere and Kalaburagi admit no work is being done.”