Shivakumar has inherited a 'broken-down lorry' from Siddaramaiah: Ashoka

Bengaluru, Jun 1 (PTI) Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly, R Ashoka, on Monday said that Siddaramaiah has quietly left behind an administration that is like a "broken-down lorry." He said that CM-designate D K Shivakumar will now have to clear all the pending dues and debts, and to do so, he will impose even more taxes on the people.

"Siddaramaiah had believed that he would not be replaced because he was the only chief minister from a backward caste and the only AHINDA (Kannada acronym for minorities, backward classes and Dalits) leader. He has resigned due to pressure from Rahul Gandhi," Ashoka said.

He recalled that in the past, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi had removed leaders such as Veerendra Patil, Devaraj Urs, and Bangarappa from the chief minister's post.

He accused the Congress party of effectively telling backward communities to "go back". He further alleged that Rahul Gandhi, despite portraying himself as a supporter of backward classes, is actually opposed to them.

According to Ashoka, Siddaramaiah had pleaded for three more months in office, but the party high command refused. He said Congress should no longer claim to be a champion of backward classes and added that the Kuruba community, to which Siddaramaiah belongs, has already turned against the party.

He predicted that voters would teach Congress a lesson in the 2028 elections.

Ashoka compared the Congress government to an old, broken-down lorry whose driver has changed, but the vehicle remains the same.

He said Siddaramaiah had borrowed heavily during his three years in office and had handed over the administration to Shivakumar, burdened with debt.

Changing the chief minister, he argued, would not change the state's financial situation. Highlighting that the state is in debt, he quoted figures, saying, "There is no money left for development." Noting that during the previous BJP government, about Rs 84,000 crore was spent on development projects, but that amount declined after the introduction of what he called "unscientific" guarantee schemes, the LoP said, the BJP governments used to present surplus budgets, whereas Congress has presented deficit budgets three times consecutively.

He said that Siddaramaiah had effectively given Shivakumar a "Bhasmasura blessing" by leaving behind an administration without financial stability. "Karnataka, once a development-oriented state, has now become a debt-ridden state," he added.

Criticising Siddaramaiah for not attending meetings called by the centre, the BJP leader alleged that during the past three years Siddaramaiah had done little beyond blaming the Centre.

To a question on a purported audio clip on Congress leader Zameer Ahmed Khan's alleged role in an "internal conspiracy" against the Congress candidate during the Davanagere South Assembly bypolls going viral, Ashoka said, "It is a trick by people within the Congress party, because Shivakumar's camp doesn't want Zameer in the cabinet".

"The game has now started; this will continue in Congress for the next two years," he said.

Khan on Monday termed the audio clip "fake" and claimed it was part of a "political conspiracy" generated using AI technology.

Khan, who was a minister in the dissolved Siddaramaiah cabinet, said a complaint would be filed with the cyber police against those responsible for creating and circulating the audio clip, and legal action would be initiated against them.

Regarding the dispute over the Congress government still not allotting him official residences, the opposition leader said that the situation has become one where "Siddaramaiah won't vacate the house (CM's official residence), and Shivakumar won't give me a house (official residence)." He said he has no particular expectations regarding the matter, given the change in CM and the cabinet.

Noting that during the BJP government's tenure, houses were provided to opposition leaders, Ashoka said the BJP would follow the same practice if it returned to power. He also stated that he is not claiming house rent from the government and suggested that the government use that money where it is needed due to the financial shortage. PTI