Davanagere, April 6 (NationPress) Union Minister for Food, Public Distribution, and Consumer Affairs Pralhad Joshi criticized the prevalence of family politics in the Davanagere South constituency, warning that it poses a threat to democracy.

He expressed optimism that voters, who are beginning to question why one family should dominate, will choose the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the upcoming election.

During a press briefing on Monday, he pointed out that the late Shamanur Shivashankarappa was not only an MLA but also served as a minister, and now his son S.S. Mallikarjun occupies similar positions, while his wife is a Member of Parliament.

“Furthermore, their son Samarth Mallikarjun has been granted a ticket to run for MLA. They are attempting to monopolize Davanagere by allocating tickets within their family. If the Congress prevails again, I warn that no other candidates will have a chance for the next 40 years,” he stated.

Joshi claimed that in Bagalkot, the Congress is employing the AHINDA strategy, while in Davanagere, they are indulging in what he termed “Govinda politics,” suggesting that no one else is deemed capable, leading to family-based ticket distribution.

“Similar to the Sonia Gandhi family, the Shamanur family aims to maintain power within its ranks. Voters will teach them a lesson this time,” he asserted.

Joshi further accused the family of possessing wealth obtained through corruption, attempting to undermine democracy using their financial might.

“The public will not put up with this. They need to take this seriously,” he urged.

He contended that corruption and misgovernance have become commonplace in Congress, with family and appeasement politics reaching alarming levels.

“Davanagere has seen no development. The Smart City initiative was launched during G.M. Siddeshwar's time as MP, and beyond that, nothing has transpired. A single family is trying to extend its influence and centralize power, which is perilous for democracy,” he warned.

He added that Congress is in a weakened position nationally and claimed that India is on the path to becoming “Congress-free.”

Accusing the Chief Minister of misleading the populace regarding constituency divisions, he remarked: “He speaks in terms of South and North. Those who once governed the nation are now attempting to divide it. People should be swayed through policies and development, not by creating divisions.”

Joshi indicated that Congress was afforded an opportunity in Karnataka but failed to deliver.

“Even the guarantees have not been executed correctly. Not a single grain of rice was provided under the Anna Bhagya scheme; the rice was supplied by the Centre,” he claimed.

On the matter of cooking gas supply, he stated that issues arose due to the war, but the central government has managed the situation effectively.

“There has been no disruption in domestic LPG supply. Rahul Gandhi had predicted a petrol shortage within two days, yet there is no scarcity now. We have ample stock due to our prior planning. However, we are facing some LPG shortages, and a solution will be addressed,” he concluded.