State government has brought guarantee schemes by fooling the people: R. Ashoka
Bengaluru: Karnataka Opposition leader R. Ashoka has sharply criticised the Congress-led state government for introducing guarantee schemes without securing adequate resources. Speaking to reporters, Ashoka accused the government of deceiving the public by implementing these schemes without ensuring the financial stability to support them.
Ashoka pointed out that regardless of the ruling party, the state government must resort to borrowing, but introducing such schemes without a resource guarantee is irresponsible. He claimed that the government is struggling to manage its finances, citing losses in the Bengaluru Electricity Supply Company Ltd (BESCOM) and other departments. He warned that even Congress MLAs might defy their own government if the situation worsens, urging the leadership to address the issues before it’s too late.
Further criticising the current administration, Ashoka noted that funds previously earmarked by the BJP government for critical development projects in Bengaluru, including flood control, footpaths, flyovers, and Rajkaluves, have been diverted to finance the guarantee schemes. He claimed that this has left the city’s development in jeopardy, with the government now on the brink of bankruptcy.
Ashoka also took aim at the Congress government's approach to healthcare, contrasting it with the Central Government's Jan Aushadhi Yojana, which provides affordable medicines. He alleged that the Congress ministers are influenced by lobbies and are prioritizing schemes that would yield them commissions, betraying public trust.
The opposition leader's comments followed a march organized by the BJP against the Congress government, which he said resulted in fearful reactions from Congress leaders. He added that several complaints related to the government's alleged scams have been filed at the Raj Bhavan.
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Sanjay Raut demands re-election, alleges irregularities in EVMs during Maharashtra polls
Mumbai, Nov 25: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Monday demanded a re-election in Maharashtra using ballot papers, claiming there were irregularities with the electronic voting machines (EVMs).
Talking to reporters, Raut alleged several complaints about EVMs malfunctioning and questioned the integrity of the recently held elections.
The BJP-led Mahayuti won 230 out of 288 seats in the assembly elections, while the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi managed 46 seats, with Shiv Sena (UBT) winning just 20 out of 95 seats it contested.
"We have received nearly 450 complaints regarding EVMs. Despite raising objections repeatedly, no action has been taken on these issues. How can we say these elections were conducted fairly? Hence, I demand that the results be set aside and elections be held again using ballot papers," Raut said.
Citing some instances, he said a candidate in Nashik reportedly received only four votes despite having 65 votes from his family, while in Dombivli, discrepancies were found in EVM tallies, and election officials refused to acknowledge the objections.
The Sena (UBT) leader also questioned the credibility of the landslide victories of some candidates, saying, "What revolutionary work have they done to receive more than 1.5 lakh votes? Even leaders who recently switched parties have become MLAs. This raises suspicions. For the first time, a senior leader like Sharad Pawar has expressed doubts about EVMs, which cannot be ignored."
Asked about the MVA's poor performance in the elections, Raut rejected the idea of blaming a single individual.
"We fought as a united MVA. Even a leader like Sharad Pawar, who commands immense respect in Maharashtra, faced defeat. This shows that we need to analyse the reasons behind the failure. One of the reasons is EVM irregularities and the misuse of the system, unconstitutional practices, and even judicial decisions left unresolved by Justice Chandrachud," he said.
Raut stressed that though internal differences might have existed within the MVA, the failure was collective.
He also accused the Mahayuti of conducting the elections in an unfair manner.
"I cannot call the elections fair given the numerous reports of discrepancies in EVMs, mismatched numbers, and vote irregularities across the state," Raut said.
