Karnataka LoP Ashoka demands CM Shivakumar resign over state financial crisis
Synopsis
Karnataka's BJP Leader of Opposition R. Ashoka staged a Vidhana Soudha protest demanding CM Shivakumar's immediate resignation, alleging the Finance Department itself has flagged a funds crisis — even as the government announced hundreds of thousands of crores at public events. The charge: farmers without power, pensioners unpaid for five months, and a state that can no longer borrow.
Key Takeaways
Ashoka demanded the resignation of CM D.K.
Shivakumar at a BJP protest at Vidhana Soudha , Bengaluru on 23 September 2026 .
Ashoka alleged the state's Finance Department itself had flagged a shortage of funds, contradicting large public spending announcements.
Cited announcements of ₹32,000 crore in Mangaluru, ₹40,000 crore in Kalaburagi, and ₹20,000 crore in Chamarajanagar, among others, as unaffordable commitments.
Alleged drought relief unpaid for 4 months , pensions unpaid for 5 months , and milk producer subsidies unpaid for 12 months .
Claimed pending bills of ₹2 lakh crore and a prior deficit of ₹22,000 crore left by the previous government.
BJP State President B.Y.
Vijayendra and Council LoP Chalavadi Narayanaswamy were among senior leaders present at the protest.
Karnataka Assembly Leader of Opposition R. Ashoka on Wednesday, 23 September demanded the resignation of Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, alleging that the Congress government in Karnataka had lost control of the state's finances while continuing to make large spending announcements without the funds to back them. Ashoka was speaking at a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) protest held near the Kengal Hanumanthaiah statue on the Vidhana Soudha premises in Bengaluru.
The Core Allegation: A 'Bankrupt Government'
Ashoka described the state administration as a 'bankrupt government', claiming the Finance Department itself had issued a communication acknowledging a severe shortage of funds — effectively contradicting the government's own public announcements. He directly challenged Shivakumar's fitness to hold office.
'You are unable to manage the Finance Department. Therefore, you are not fit to continue as the Chief Minister. Resign immediately,' Ashoka said at the protest.
He further accused the government of being a 'government of announcements' — making large financial commitments at different locations without the resources to honour them.
A Trail of Undelivered Announcements
Ashoka cited a series of recent spending pledges he said the state could not afford. According to his allegations, Chief Minister Shivakumar announced ₹32,000 crore during a visit to Mangaluru, while Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced ₹40,000 crore in Kalaburagi and ₹20,000 crore in Chamarajanagar. Additional announcements of ₹25,000 crore and ₹50,000 crore were allegedly made at Cabinet meetings.
He also alleged that the previous Siddaramaiah government had left a deficit of ₹22,000 crore and that bills worth ₹2 lakh crore remain pending. The Transport Department alone, he claimed, has outstanding dues of ₹5,000 crore, and subsidy payments to the power sector are also pending.
Welfare Payments Stalled, Citizens Suffering: BJP's Charge
Ashoka alleged that the most acute impact of the financial squeeze is being felt by the state's most vulnerable. According to him, drought relief payments have been pending for four months, pension payments have not been made for five months, teacher salaries are overdue, farmers are without electricity supply, and milk producers have not received subsidy payments for 12 months.
'People have been waiting for drought relief for four months. Pension payments have not been made for five months. Poor people are suffering,' he alleged. He also claimed the state government was struggling to raise new loans, with the Finance Department reportedly indicating that Karnataka may not be able to secure further borrowing.
BJP's Broader Political Attack
Ashoka sharpened his political rhetoric with a direct jab at the Congress leadership. 'People are not receiving pensions on time, but the ATM going to Rahul Gandhi is functioning correctly and on time,' he alleged — a remark that underscores the BJP's attempt to link the state's fiscal stress to the party's national leadership.
Senior party leaders including State BJP President B.Y. Vijayendra, Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, legislators, and Legislative Council members were present at the protest. Notably, the protest was held within the Vidhana Soudha precincts, amplifying its symbolic weight.
Context and What Comes Next
This comes amid a broader pattern of political friction between the ruling Congress and the BJP in Karnataka, with the Opposition increasingly deploying fiscal governance as a wedge issue. The Congress government has not yet issued a formal response to the specific allegations made at Wednesday's protest.
With the BJP mounting a coordinated public demonstration backed by its state president and legislative leadership, pressure on the Shivakumar-led government to provide a detailed account of its financial position is likely to intensify in the days ahead.
Point of View
Not a routine press conference jab. The allegation that Karnataka's own Finance Department has flagged a borrowing ceiling is the sharpest charge here; if substantiated with documents, it transforms this from political rhetoric into a governance crisis. The Congress government's silence on the specifics — rather than a point-by-point rebuttal — risks letting the BJP frame a complex fiscal situation entirely on its own terms. Karnataka's five guarantee schemes are popular but carry a significant fiscal cost, and the government's credibility now depends on publicly reconciling its spending commitments with a transparent statement of state finances.
NationPress
23 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Karnataka LoP R. Ashoka demanding CM Shivakumar's resignation?
Ashoka is demanding Shivakumar's resignation over alleged financial mismanagement, claiming the Congress government has made large public spending announcements — totalling hundreds of thousands of crores — while the state's Finance Department has flagged a shortage of funds. He held a BJP protest at Vidhana Soudha on 23 September to press the demand.
What specific welfare payments does the BJP allege have been stalled?
According to Ashoka's allegations, drought relief payments are pending for four months, pension payments for five months, teacher salaries are overdue, farmers are without electricity supply, and milk producer subsidies have not been paid for 12 months.
What are the financial figures cited in the BJP's allegations?
The BJP alleges a prior deficit of ₹22,000 crore and pending bills of ₹2 lakh crore. The Transport Department alone allegedly has dues of ₹5,000 crore. Separate announcements of ₹32,000 crore, ₹40,000 crore, ₹20,000 crore, ₹25,000 crore, and ₹50,000 crore were cited as commitments the state cannot honour.
Who attended the BJP protest at Vidhana Soudha?
State BJP President B.Y. Vijayendra, Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, along with legislators and Legislative Council members, were present at the protest near the Kengal Hanumanthaiah statue on the Vidhana Soudha premises.
How has the Karnataka government responded to these allegations?
The Congress government had not issued a formal public response to the specific allegations made at Wednesday's protest, as of the time of this report. The claims, including those about the Finance Department's internal communications, remain attributed to the BJP and have not been independently verified.
