Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India]: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Tuesday defended the state government’s decision to allocate government programme positions and benefits to Congress party workers.
Speaking in the State Assembly in response to MLA M T Krishnappa’s concerns about party workers occupying key roles in guarantee implementation committees, Shivakumar stated:
“There is nothing wrong in accommodating the party workers who brought the party to power. The committees are set up to ensure the delivery of the Rs 52,000-crore guarantee schemes to the people. But the Opposition is unable to digest it.”
Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka criticized the government, accusing it of distributing ₹187 crore of public funds to party workers.
Shivakumar responded, “Let this issue be taken up in the House, we will respond. Let us limit ourselves to a discussion on the budget right now.”
He added, “The people of the state have blessed us with 138 seats. The Leader of the Opposition and other MLAs requested positions in committees. It is not my decision alone; it needs to be discussed in the Cabinet. Our government will always be with our party workers.”
When BJP MLA Sunil Kumar claimed his party did not oppose the guarantee schemes, Shivakumar countered:
“Everyone from the Prime Minister to an MLA of BJP have criticised the guarantee schemes. Irrespective of the opposition, we went ahead and rolled it out. The guarantee schemes will not stop as long as the Congress government is in power.”
Shivakumar emphasized that the schemes were designed to ease the burden of rising prices and inflation.
“We understand how difficult it is to earmark 20% of the state’s budget for guarantee schemes, but the lives of people are important for us. It eases the pain of price rise and inflation. The BJP is following our model in Delhi, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh,” he added.
Responding to R Ashoka’s claim that payouts to Congress workers were ‘manehalu’ (destroyer of homes), Shivakumar urged the Speaker to retain the term, saying:
“They are using the word manehalu, while we are helping build homes and families.”