Karnataka Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on the state's Congress government, warning that its recent run of bye-election victories would not last and alleging that the ruling party was using guarantee schemes purely as an electoral tool rather than as genuine development.

Guarantees as poll strategy, not governance

Addressing a press conference at the state BJP office, Jagannath Bhavan, in Bengaluru, Vijayendra alleged that the Congress government had leveraged its flagship welfare guarantees to secure votes. 'You are releasing guarantee funds and trying to win elections. This streak of victories will not continue for long,' he said, addressing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah directly.

He accused the Chief Minister and the Congress government of portraying the guarantees themselves as development, calling it a misrepresentation of governance. Vijayendra drew a historical parallel, recalling that during Siddaramaiah's earlier tenure as Chief Minister, the Congress had also won bye-elections in constituencies such as Nanjangud — only for voters to subsequently oust the government in the general elections. He expressed confidence that history would repeat itself.

Scams, vacancies, and law and order failures

Vijayendra alleged that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah should have resigned on moral grounds after the Valmiki Development Corporation scam came to light. He recalled that Siddaramaiah had acknowledged the scam on the floor of the House and that a minister had resigned over the issue. The BJP leader also referred to the alleged MUDA scam, noting that the people of the state were aware that 14 sites had been returned.

On education, Vijayendra alleged that the government had neither introduced a state education policy nor implemented the National Education Policy (NEP), and claimed that more than 40,000 teacher posts remain vacant across the state. He further alleged that around 6,500 rural libraries were on the verge of closure due to the government's failures.

Vijayendra also alleged that in the Chief Minister's own district, more than 550 newborn babies had died over the past 15 months due to lack of basic facilities, and claimed there had been repeated deaths of pregnant women and new mothers. He charged that law and order had completely deteriorated, with murders taking place frequently, and alleged that the Chief Minister's district had become a hub for the drug mafia, with factories producing narcotic substances reportedly discovered there.

Employment, farmers, and infrastructure

On employment generation, Vijayendra alleged the Congress government was 'playing with the future of youth' and claimed that its AHINDA identity — a political coalition of backward communities, minorities, and Dalits — had been exposed as a tool for political gain rather than genuine welfare. He accused Siddaramaiah of misusing the AHINDA banner to safeguard his Chief Minister's position.

The BJP leader questioned whether the government had come to the aid of farmers during flood and drought situations, allocated funds for irrigation projects, improved hospitals and schools, or released grants to legislators' constituencies. He alleged the government had failed even to fill potholes on Bengaluru roads and lacked the sensitivity to console distressed farmers.

Sadhana Samavesha and political intent

Vijayendra questioned the purpose of the government's 'Sadhana Samavesha' convention organised in Tumakuru, alleging it was an exercise in self-promotion rather than accountability. He charged that the Congress government was attempting to remind voters of its existence solely through the guarantee schemes and advertisements, in the absence of tangible developmental achievements.

He also alleged that the Congress, frustrated by its defeats in West Bengal and Assam, was attempting to create anarchy in Karnataka. Vijayendra expressed confidence that voters were fed up with the government's style of administration and would 'teach the Congress a lesson' at the next state election.

Present at the press conference were Rajya Sabha member Lahar Singh Siroya, former minister and MLA B.A. Basavaraj, MLA Shashikala Jolle, state BJP spokesperson H. Venkatesh Doddere, OBC Morcha state president Raghu Kautilya, and SC Morcha state vice-president Hoodi Manjunath. As the ruling party, the Congress is yet to formally respond to the specific allegations raised at the press conference.