Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Karnataka President B.Y. Vijayendra on Saturday, 24 October launched a sharp attack on the Congress-led state government, accusing it of abandoning drought-hit farmers and demanding ₹50,000 per hectare in drought compensation, a full agricultural loan waiver, and uninterrupted three-phase electricity supply for farming operations. Vijayendra made the charges at the Raitha Spandana (Farmers' Outreach) programme held in Doddaballapur, near Bengaluru.

Key Demands Raised at Doddaballapur

Vijayendra alleged that farmers growing ragi, jowar and maize, among other crops, were bearing the brunt of a severe drought with little meaningful state support. He charged that the government had resorted to announcing 'meagre compensation' while effectively washing its hands of its responsibilities. His three core demands were: drought compensation of ₹50,000 per hectare, a waiver of outstanding agricultural loans, and a reliable three-phase power supply for irrigation pump sets and borewells.

He further alleged that farmers were being forced to wait until late at night to access electricity for borewell operations — a situation he described as unacceptable and avoidable. On transformer costs, Vijayendra claimed that installing an electricity transformer on agricultural land, which reportedly cost around ₹25,000 during the previous BJP government, now required farmers to spend 'lakhs of rupees' under the current administration. He urged immediate resolution of the issue.

BJP Contrasts Current Government with Its Own Record

Vijayendra invoked the track record of previous BJP administrations to sharpen his attack. He credited former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa with introducing a dedicated agriculture budget, providing free electricity to irrigation pump sets, offering zero-interest agricultural loans and facilitating transformer installation on farmland. He also highlighted the Raitha Vidya Nidhi scheme, introduced during former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai's tenure, which supported the education of farmers' children.

At the national level, he pointed to schemes introduced by the Narendra Modi-led government — including the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN), minimum support price guarantees, the Kisan Credit Card, and the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana — as benchmarks for farmer-centric governance. The direct benefit transfer mechanism under PM-KISAN, he said, had reduced middlemen and ensured financial assistance reached eligible families directly.

Land Acquisition and Welfare Delivery Concerns

Beyond drought relief, Vijayendra alleged that farmers' lands were being forcibly acquired in the name of industrial and development projects, with concerns reportedly emerging from Doddaballapur, Chikkaballapur and surrounding areas. He urged the government to consult farmers before taking decisions and ensure their rights and livelihoods were protected.

He also accused the Congress government of failing to ensure timely delivery of welfare benefits more broadly — including housing for the poor, widow pensions, disability pensions, and scholarships — suggesting systemic administrative failures beyond the agriculture sector alone.

MLA Praised; BJP Vows to Continue Agitation

In a notable aside, Vijayendra praised first-time MLA Dheeraj Muniraju for personally paying crop insurance premiums to benefit small arecanut growers amid drought-related difficulties, calling the gesture a hallmark of genuine public service. He said young leaders who stood by farmers in difficult times deserved encouragement and support.

Vijayendra declared that the BJP would continue its agitation until the demands for fair compensation, agricultural loan waivers, and adequate power supply were met. He expressed confidence that a future BJP-led government in Karnataka would prioritise the welfare of farmers, the poor, women, widows, and persons with disabilities, and called on farmers and party workers to unite in the struggle for their rights.

With Karnataka's drought conditions showing no immediate sign of easing, the political pressure on the state government over farm relief is likely to intensify in the weeks ahead.