Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah questions why BJP is 'afraid' of ballot papers for local body elections

Koppala (Karnataka) [India], September 6 (ANI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday addressed concerns over the use of ballot papers in upcoming BBMP local election, questioning the BJP's apprehensions.
"Why is the BJP afraid of ballot paper? Advanced countries have already implemented ballot paper; have those countries gone back to the Stone Age?" he remarked, advocating for the adoption of ballot papers in elections.
On Friday, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar questioned the BJP for expressing reservations about the use of ballot papers in local body elections.
Speaking to reporters at his Sadashivanagar residence, he said, "To use ballot papers in local body elections is the decision of the government of Karnataka. Why is the BJP worried about it? The state government is empowered to conduct local body elections. Why is the BJP getting jittery about this?"
Reacting to the use of ballot papers in the BBMP elections by the government, he said that the government has taken this decision for the local body elections.
Meanwhile, earlier Today, the Chief Minister attended the ceremonial event at the Almatti reservoir in Nidagundi taluk, Vijayapura district, organised by the Water Resources Department and Krishna Bhagya Jal Nigam Limited.

ವಿಜಯಪುರ ಜಿಲ್ಲೆಯ ನಿಡಗುಂದಿ ತಾಲೂಕಿನ ಆಲಮಟ್ಟಿ ಜಲಾಶಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಇಂದು ಜಲಸಂಪನ್ಮೂಲ ಇಲಾಖೆ ಮತ್ತು ಕೃಷ್ಣಾ ಭಾಗ್ಯ ಜಲ ನಿಗಮ ನಿಯಮಿತ ಆಯೋಜಿಸಿದ್ದ ಸಮಾರಂಭದಲ್ಲಿ ಕೃಷ್ಣೆಯ ಒಡಲಿಗೆ ಗಂಗಾಪೂಜೆ ನೆರವೇರಿಸಿ, ಬಳಿಕ ಬಾಗಿನ ಅರ್ಪಿಸಿ, ಲೋಕಕಲ್ಯಾಣಕ್ಕಾಗಿ ಪ್ರಾರ್ಥಿಸಿದೆ.

ನಾಡಿನಾದ್ಯಂತ ಉತ್ತಮ ಮಳೆಯಾಗಿ ಜಲಾಶಯಗಳೆಲ್ಲಾ ಮೈದುಂಬಿ ನಿಂತಿವೆ. ಇದೇ… pic.twitter.com/J9Opu77LFR

— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) September 6, 2025

In a post on X, he stated, "Today, a Ganga Puja was performed to the Krishna River, followed by offering bags, and prayers were offered for the welfare of the people. Across the state, due to excellent rainfall, all reservoirs are filled to the brim. I hope that nature will continue to shower its bounty on all of us in the same way."
On the issue of replacing gates at the Tungabhadra reservoir, the Chief Minister stated, "The gates will be installed after the rain stops. We will change them as soon as the rainy season ends. The reservoir is old so that the change will be made."
The repair of the Tungabhadra reservoir is ongoing, as a few weeks ago, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar announced that the Tungabhadra Dam Board had issued a tender to an Ahmedabad-based company for the manufacture of 33 new crest gates. (ANI)