Bengaluru: Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly, R Ashoka, launched a sharp attack on the Congress government on Monday, alleging that an ongoing internal battle for the Chief Minister’s chair has caused the administration to overlook the worsening crisis faced by the state’s farmers.
Ashoka announced that the BJP’s farmers’ wing will hold statewide protests later this month, accusing the Congress government of adopting an “anti-farmer” approach. Protests will be held in all assembly constituencies on November 27 and 28, followed by district-level demonstrations on December 1 and 2.
The former minister criticised the government over several unresolved agricultural issues, particularly the impact of damaged irrigation infrastructure.
He said that water from Karnataka continues to flow into Andhra Pradesh because the administration has failed to repair a damaged Tungabhadra reservoir gate, affecting the region’s second-crop cycle and pushing farmers into distress.
Ashoka also pointed out delays in maize procurement, pending milk incentive payments, and inadequate intervention in multiple rural concerns.
“Keeping all these farmers’ problems in mind, protests are being organised by the BJP farmers’ wing in all districts,” he said.
Escalating his attack, Ashoka claimed the Congress is distracted by internal political ambitions rather than governance.
“For the past six months, there has been a fight for the Chief Minister’s post. No one knows who the CM is. The purchase of MLAs has begun. Amid all this, not a single minister is listening to the farmers’ problems,” he alleged.
Ashoka further criticised the Congress government for failing to distribute compensation to farmers affected by floods, asserting that during the BJP’s previous tenure, farmers had received three times more aid in similar situations.
According to him, the delay in relief distribution highlights the government’s lack of priority for rural communities.
Reiterating his stance, he said the upcoming protests aim to hold the government accountable.
“Protests will be held against the anti-farmer government in all assembly constituencies on November 27 and 28, and in district centers on December 1 and 2,” Ashoka added.