Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament Basavaraj Bommai on Monday accused the Congress-led government in Karnataka of “mishandling” the state’s finances, alleging that the state’s financial accounts have been “dried up” as a result of excessive borrowing.
Bommai claimed that the Congress government had created a huge loan burden, borrowing over Rs 1 lakh crore last year, along with an additional Rs 15,000 crore beyond the budgeted amounts. Speaking to media, he stated, “The guarantees of Karnataka and the mishandling by the state government, which is the Congress government, has dried up the coffers. So, a huge loan component has been created.”
He further criticized the power department for collecting advance payments from the public due to insufficient funds from the government. According to Bommai, the Congress government’s financial mismanagement had led to an increase in the tax burden by Rs 30,000 crore, contributing to a rise in prices and exacerbating the state’s economic difficulties. “There is a huge burden. Already, there is an increase in the tax of Rs 30,000 crores from the budget… Karnataka is suffering from a high price rise from this government and additional duties because of the bankruptcy of this government,” Bommai added.
In response, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who is leading the Congress government, fired back at the BJP’s criticism. He stated that efforts were underway to restore the state’s economy after the “mismanagement” during the previous BJP-led government’s tenure. Siddaramaiah emphasized, “The reality is that during the BJP’s rule, the state’s economy was pushed to the brink of collapse.”
The exchange between the two leaders highlights the ongoing political debate over Karnataka’s financial management and the state’s economic future.