Bharatiya Janata Party State vice-president B. Sriramulu has criticised the coalition government for what he felt was its utter failure in taking up drought relief works.
Speaking to presspersons here on Sunday, Mr. Sriramulu said that the government has failed to tackle both the drought situation and farm loan waiver.
“The coalition government has assured farmers of waiving their loans. It has said that a sizeable amount has been set aside and released partially in the first phase and loans of 2,000 farmers were waived in a pilot programme. The amount was only on paper and waiver is nothing but a farce,” he added. Demanding that the State government allocate adequate funds to take up relief measures in drought-affected taluks, Mr. Sriramulu said that ₹ 50 lakh released to each drought-hit taluk was not sufficient.
Refuting the allegation that the tour being taken up by BJP leaders in drought-hit areas as a political strategy, Mr. Sriramulu said that the ruling parties were busy in resort politics and the district in-charge Ministers and MLAs were not visiting their constituencies. “Being the Opposition, it is our duty to respond to the plight of farmers. There is no politics behind the BJP leaders visiting drought-affected areas,” he said.
Replying to a question, Mr. Sriramulu rubbished the allegations that the BJP was trying to poach the MLAs of the ruling combine to disrupt the functioning of the coalition government. “We have not approached any MLAs and there is no ‘Operation Kamala’,” he added.
Mr. Sriramulu was tight-lipped about the party’s strategy for the Lok Sabha elections. He also did not disclose the names of the candidates short-listed for the Kalaburagi seat for the general elections.
He visited farms in Chittapur and Sedam taluk and interacted with farmers.
A team, led by himself, would also visit drought-affected taluks in Kalaburagi, Raichur, Ballari and Chitradurga.
Three more teams, led by State party president B.S. Yeddyurappa, R. Ashok and K.S. Eshwarappa, are touring drought-hit areas across the State, he added.