Karnataka: BJP holds protest in Belagavi; Vijayendra accuses Karnataka govt of ignoring farmers amid "internal power struggle"

Belagavi (Karnataka) [India], December 9 (ANI): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Karnataka staged a protest on Tuesday, accusing the Congress-ruled Karnataka government of neglecting the concerns of farmers at a time of mounting agrarian distress.
Led by BJP state president B.Y. Vijayendra, several party MLAs staged a demonstration outside the legislature building during the ongoing winter session, demanding immediate intervention for drought-hit farmers.
Speaking to reporters during the protest, Vijayendra launched a sharp attack on the Siddaramaiah-led administration, alleging that internal rifts within the ruling Congress had paralysed governance. "It's our duty to remind the state government of its responsibility. For the last couple of months, this Congress government has been busy with internal fighting. CM Siddaramaiah is busy saving his chair. D.K. Shivakumar is in a hurry to become a Chief Minister," he said.
He claimed that frequent visits by state ministers to Delhi to resolve factional disputes had resulted in administrative inaction. "Because of this, the entire cabinet keeps camping in Delhi. As a result, the farmers' issues are not being addressed by the Siddaramaiah government. We demand that the farmers who are already in distress be rescued by the state government," Vijayendra added.
The BJP has been targeting the government over what it calls a slow and inadequate response to widespread drought conditions, input cost pressures, and delayed compensation for crop losses. At the protest site, BJP legislators held placards urging the administration to immediately release relief funds and ensure procurement support for key crops.
Reacting to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's recent letter to the Centre seeking intervention on Toor Dal-related issues, Vijayendra accused him of shifting blame instead of taking responsibility. "The only thing CM Siddaramaiah is doing is hiding his inefficiency, hiding the failures of the Congress government. He repeatedly blames the central government and writes letters to it," he said. "The fact remains that this Congress government, which is busy fighting, has forgotten all the farmers' interests."
Bhartiya Janata Party workers held a protest against the state government today to highlight and address these farmer issues. (ANI)