Karnataka’s Chief Minister Siddaramaiah responded strongly to the criticism from the opposition BJP and JD(S) regarding his budget presentation. He expressed disappointment at their “enilla enilla” chorus and their decision to walk out of the assembly, calling it unprecedented in the state’s history.
Siddaramaiah, who also holds the finance portfolio, defended his budget, which amounted to ₹3.71 lakh crore, stating that the opposition’s dismissal as having “nothing” was baseless. He accused the BJP of lacking faith in democratic processes and of approaching the budget with predetermined opposition, suggesting they had come with a plan to reject it outright.
The Chief Minister criticized the BJP MPs for failing to advocate for Karnataka’s interests before Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. He highlighted the state’s significant losses due to drought, amounting to ₹35,000 crore in agricultural production. Despite repeated requests for funds from the Centre, Siddaramaiah lamented that Karnataka had received no assistance.
Additionally, he pointed out missed opportunities by former BJP chief ministers to secure funds for the state, suggesting they instead harbored resentment towards him for raising the issue.
Siddaramaiah emphasized the importance of healthy political discourse and expressed frustration at what he perceived as the BJP’s refusal to engage constructively with the challenges facing Karnataka.
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