The Karnataka government is exploring the possibility of conducting gram panchayat (GP) elections using political party symbols, rural development and panchayat raj minister Priyank Kharge informed the legislative council on Wednesday. A committee will be formed to study feasibility, including legal, constitutional, and procedural aspects, and to review how other states conduct such polls. Kharge said around 20 suggestions supported the proposal.
On zilla (ZP) and taluk panchayat (TP) elections, he clarified that delays were due to Covid-19, constituency delimitation, and pending reservation decisions. With delimitation completed and reservation in progress, ZP and TP polls will be scheduled soon. While some members urged simultaneous ZP, TP, and GP elections, Kharge noted it was impractical since GP polls are slated for January 2026.
Meanwhile, the assembly witnessed heated exchanges over a urea shortage. BJP and JD(S) legislators accused the state government of deliberately creating scarcity to enable black marketing. Agriculture minister N. Cheluvarayaswamy denied the allegations, blaming the Centre for reducing allocation. He said Karnataka faced a shortfall of 2.7 lakh tonnes as of August, partly due to early monsoon, which expanded sowing by two lakh hectares.
The opposition staged a walkout, alleging poor stock management by the state. Cheluvarayaswamy maintained the shortage was nationwide, citing disrupted imports from Iran and China, and assured that the state was coordinating with the Centre to resolve the crisis.