Bengaluru, Nov 17 (NationPress) In response to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, former BJP national general secretary and Legislative Council member C.T. Ravi emphasized that both the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister occupy constitutional roles.

During a media briefing in Bengaluru on Monday, he remarked, "Their meetings and discussions should not—and cannot—be interpreted through a political perspective." He further indicated that the state government should prioritize providing flood relief before seeking assistance from the central government.

Addressing speculations about potential leadership changes in the state, he stated, "Whenever a significant issue captures public attention, discussions about changing the Chief Minister often arise. This seems to be a political tactic."

"What does a leadership change imply for us? Regardless of who is Chief Minister, it makes no difference. The BJP does not engage in destabilizing non-Congress governments as the Congress does. Historically, it is the Congress that has a notorious record of dismissing non-Congress governments over 90 times. Out of the approximately 120-122 instances of President's Rule in the country, the Congress is accountable for dismissing non-Congress governments for political motives in more than 90 cases," he stated when asked about the issue.

He recalled that in 1958, former PM Jawahar Lal Nehru dismissed the first non-Congress government in Kerala, led by Namboodiripad, marking the beginning of the trend of dismissing non-Congress governments for political reasons. He noted that the government of S.R. Bommai in Karnataka was also dismissed. "Such actions are synonymous with the Congress. Has Prime Minister Narendra Modi ever taken such measures?" he questioned.

This government is ineffective. They currently possess a majority of MLAs. We have no desire to overthrow them; if they falter, that is their own doing, he stated.

In response to another query, he mentioned that when B.S. Yediyurappa served as Chief Minister, the state would first allocate relief from its own funds and subsequently seek aid from the Centre. Other Chief Ministers have adhered to this approach. According to the regulations of the National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF), the Centre will undoubtedly provide what is required after conducting an assessment.

Before this, disbursing funds from the state treasury was a common practice among all Chief Ministers and governments. The current Chief Minister should have followed this tradition, he remarked.

Discussing the sugarcane controversy, he questioned who was responsible for setting fire to the numerous tractors loaded with sugarcane. What motives were behind this? During negotiations, farmer representatives were not consulted, and even sugar factory owners have indicated that they do not accept the government's unilateral decision. What merit does such a one-sided decision hold? he asked. He highlighted that due to the government's stubborn approach, farmers continue to protest on the streets.