Karnataka BJP President and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra on Friday, 4 July launched a sharp attack on Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar over the latter's appeal to farmers to avoid water-intensive crops amid dwindling reservoir levels, alleging the statement had demoralised an already distressed farming community. The criticism came a day after Shivakumar publicly warned of a potentially severe drought and urged growers across the state to plan cropping patterns cautiously based on actual rainfall.

What the Chief Minister Said

Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Thursday flagged a serious drought risk for Karnataka, cautioning farmers against depending solely on reservoir water for cultivation. He noted that inflows into most major reservoirs had dropped drastically and appealed to farmers statewide to avoid water-intensive crops until storage levels recover. He also asked them to calibrate their cropping plans in line with rainfall forecasts.

Vijayendra's Counterattack

Addressing a press conference at BJP state headquarters, Jagannath Bhavan, in Bengaluru, Vijayendra said the Chief Minister's public remarks had compounded farmers' anxiety at a time of already deficient rainfall. 'Yesterday, the Chief Minister said there is no water and advised farmers not to cultivate crops. It is not only surprising but also deeply painful that the Chief Minister himself made such a statement after discussing the drought-like situation in the Cabinet and citing low water levels in reservoirs,' Vijayendra said.

He urged Shivakumar to exercise restraint on public statements affecting farmers. 'The entire country is facing the threat of drought. At a time when nature has turned adverse, the government should instil confidence and provide reassurance to farmers. There is still hope of rainfall over the next 15 to 20 days. If farmers refrain from sowing crops based on the Chief Minister's statement, who will take responsibility?' he asked.

Questions on Drought Preparedness

Vijayendra questioned the state government's readiness to handle a drought scenario, noting that rainfall was reportedly 50 to 60 per cent below normal in parts of the state. He asked whether the government had released funds to Deputy Commissioners, sanctioned financial assistance for cattle and livestock, or taken any structured steps ahead of the Chief Minister's warning. 'Has the government suddenly realised overnight that there is a drought warning? Why is it resorting to such a drama?' he alleged.

He also questioned the government's decision to release water to neighbouring Tamil Nadu despite low storage levels in Karnataka's own reservoirs — a point likely to resonate with farming constituencies dependent on those water bodies.

Broader Political Salvo

Vijayendra broadened his attack to include the delayed Cabinet expansion, alleging that internal disputes within the ruling Indian National Congress (INC) were stalling the exercise. He also criticised the government's decision to hold the monsoon session of the Legislature only in mid-August, citing the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls as the stated reason. 'Are MLAs going door-to-door to conduct the SIR?' he asked, dismissing the justification.

He further claimed that even when former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had a full Cabinet in the past, the government had failed to adequately respond to farmers' hardships during flood situations — framing the Congress's track record on agrarian crises as a pattern rather than an isolated lapse.

With reservoir levels under stress and the monsoon's performance uncertain, the political battle over Karnataka's drought response is likely to intensify in the weeks ahead.