Is There a Control Issue in Karnataka's Administration? Shivakumar Responds to Congress MLAs

Bengaluru, June 26 (NationPress) Karnataka's Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar addressed concerns on Thursday regarding remarks made by Congress MLAs who criticized their own administration, asserting that there is no issue of control within the government.

During a media interaction near his residence, Shivakumar was questioned about the dissent from several MLAs and whether it indicated a lack of authority from Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. He replied, "I am not informed about any such events. If there are issues, both the Chief Minister and I will bring them up with the party's high command."

He emphasized, "There is no lack of control in the administration; this is merely a narrative perpetuated by the media."

When asked about his recent meeting with the Deputy Chairman of the State Policy and Planning Commission and MLA B.R. Patil, Shivakumar stated, "As the party's state president, I needed to grasp the facts. Therefore, I invited him to discuss his thoughts, and I will relay this information to the Chief Minister and Housing Minister Zameer Ahmad Khan. Our party's high command will also be arriving soon to collect further insights."

Patil had raised concerns regarding pervasive corruption in housing allotments.

In addition, Shivakumar announced that the meeting originally scheduled for June 30 concerning the Hemavati Link Canal project has been rescheduled to July 4-5 at the request of Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti, V. Somanna.

"As Union Minister Somanna is also the local MP, the meeting was postponed to accommodate his schedule. I have instructed the relevant officials accordingly," he stated.

Both farmers and the BJP are opposing the execution of the Hemavati Link Canal Project.

Shivakumar also mentioned a meeting with contractors of the Yettinahole project that was intended for today in Tumakuru. However, due to the absence of Home Minister G. Parameshwara, the meeting has been relocated to Bengaluru and will occur either tomorrow or the day after, as Parameshwara is from Tumakuru.

He reiterated that the Chief Minister has mandated the Yettinahole project to be completed within the designated timeframe. "Therefore, we are monitoring the project's progress closely. I recently visited Tumakuru to evaluate and address challenges within the project," he remarked.

"I have already visited Doddaballapur and Koratagere. I held discussions with Minister Parameshwara, who leads the Cabinet Subcommittee. We are assessing the technical feasibility of water storage solutions in the area. I have also engaged with local leaders and residents to gather their opinions. People have expressed their concerns, and we are considering whether to construct a dam at one or two sites, or if we can utilize existing lakes for water storage based on public feedback," he added.

In response to a question regarding JD-S Legislature Party leader Suresh Babu's communication to Congress MLAs, Shivakumar stated, "Suresh Babu should first address issues within his own party. He needs to resolve matters concerning MLAs like G.T. Devegowda before making comments about others."

Regarding the BJP's comparison of Indira Gandhi to Hitler and the FIR filed in this context, Shivakumar remarked, "The BJP is facing serious internal issues. It was under Indira Gandhi's leadership that the people reinstated the Congress party after the Emergency. In 1980, she led the nation, and no other party could establish a stable government at that time. Indira Gandhi sacrificed her life for the country, and now the BJP is raising these topics merely for propaganda purposes."

"Fifty years have passed since the Emergency, and that chapter is closed. Under Congress's governance, the nation has remained resilient. We concur with our leader Mallikarjun Kharge's remarks about the current state of the nation under BJP rule. If you ask BJP MPs privately, they will reveal the true situation the country is experiencing today," he concluded.