Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has alleged that the Narendra Modi-led Union Government had not taken any steps to strengthen rural local bodies in the last eight years.
At a press conference in Chikkamagaluru on Friday, he said the BJP lacked the commitment to strengthen local bodies. The party in power in the State brought in a law to postpone elections to taluk and zilla panchayats. “The BJP does not believe in the idea of decentralisation. The party wants to scuttle powers of panchayat bodies”, he said.
M.K.Pranesh, who was elected to the Legislative Council on the BJP ticket, hardly spoke in the council about panchayat bodies. The Congress had always strengthened local bodies. The voters of the council polls would consider the contributions of the party while exercising their right, he said.
KPCC president D.K.Shivakumar said Chikkamagaluru was like a native place for the Congress and the party’s candidate would “definitely win” in the council polls. The people were fed up with the BJP rule in the State and the Centre.
He alleged that the corruption had been rampant in the State and the contractors’ association had written to the Prime Minister alleging how much money the contractors had to pay to get their bills cleared. “Karnataka has become the number one corrupt State in the country. People in power looted money in every purchase during the COVID-19 pandemic”, he said.
Leaders of Congress were present at the press conference.
