Karnataka's principal opposition party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), on Saturday, 4 July accused the Congress-led state government of making zero preparations for the ongoing drought and failing to hold a single meeting with farmer representatives. The charge came as Leader of Opposition R. Ashoka inspected the Krishna Raja Sagara (KRS) reservoir in Mandya district, where water levels have fallen sharply due to a rainfall deficit.

What Ashoka Said at KRS

Speaking to reporters after his visit, Ashoka alleged that while the government has been advising farmers to shift to alternative crops, it has taken no concrete steps of its own to address the crisis. He demanded that Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar announce immediate compensation of ₹50,000 per acre for affected farmers, arguing that during the BJP's tenure, compensation paid was double what the current administration has offered.

Ashoka noted that only 6 TMC of water remains in the KRS reservoir, with inflow at 900 cusecs. He expressed suspicion that more water was being released outward than officially acknowledged, while the state's monthly drinking water requirement alone stands at 3 TMC.

Farmers' Distress and Sowing Crisis

According to officials cited at the site, only 5 per cent of the season's sowing has taken place so far. Ashoka pointed out that farmers have already sown crops across more than 1 lakh acres, even as the Chief Minister has publicly advised against growing crops — a contradiction, he argued, that the government has not resolved. He said CM Shivakumar should have convened a meeting of farmer leaders to discuss cropping patterns and relief measures, but the administration's attention has instead been directed toward tendering contracts for projects such as garbage management and tunnel roads.

Cauvery, Mekedatu, and Tamil Nadu Politics

Ashoka broadened his criticism to the state government's handling of inter-state water politics. He alleged that the Karnataka government has stayed silent on the Mekedatu project even after the Tamil Nadu government passed a resolution against it — a silence he attributed to the Congress's political alignment with its coalition partner in Tamil Nadu. He argued that at a time when Tamil Nadu has demanded Cauvery water, the Karnataka government should have been more assertive in protecting the state's interests and its farmers' water entitlements.

Notably, Ashoka drew a comparison with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's earlier call for water conservation, which the Congress had publicly criticised — yet the party is now giving similar advice to Karnataka's own farmers, he pointed out.

Governance Failures and Political Accountability

The BJP leader also questioned the absence of a designated Agriculture Minister in the Cabinet, asking whether ministers were 'waiting to make payments in Delhi' — an apparent reference to alleged political deal-making. He alleged that the government has allowed the encroachment of 3,500 acres of government land in Bidadi, and criticised Home Minister Priyank Kharge for having, in his words, 'absolutely no understanding of the Home Department.'

Ashoka warned that farmers protesting against land acquisition are being lathi-charged, and that such an administration 'will not last long.' He concluded that if the government cannot provide water for crops, it must provide compensation — or openly admit failure.