7-8 senior legislators, ministers in race for CM post; administration has collapsed: Vijayendra
Sirsi (PTI): Karnataka BJP President B Y Vijayendra on Monday claimed that the state’s administrative machinery has "completely collapsed" amid intensifying competition within the Congress for the chief minister’s post with at least seven to eight senior legislators and ministers reportedly in the race.
Alleging that the Siddaramaiah government has "neglected farmers in distress" amid the ongoing power tussle, he said the opposition will press for discussions on a host of issues, including farmers’ welfare and north Karnataka, during the winter session of the legislature in Belagavi from December 8, and seek accountability from the administration.
"The competition for the chief minister's chair is intensifying day by day. According to information I have, at least seven to eight senior legislators and ministers in the ruling party are competing to somehow become the CM," Vijayendra said.
Speaking to reporters, he said that as a result, the administrative machinery has completely collapsed.
Asked if the BJP would be ready if a faction within the Congress came out and sought to form a government with the BJP, Vijayendra said, "The voters of the state have given a clear mandate to the Congress and have made the BJP sit in the opposition. The BJP will function as an effective opposition and has no intentions to form the government."
Accusing the Siddaramaiah-led government of neglecting farmers since coming to power, Vijayendra said, "When the PM Kisan Yojana was introduced by the central government, the BJP government in the state, led by B S Yediyurappa, paid an additional Rs 4,000 to farmers, but that has now been stopped."
"When Basavaraj Bommai was the CM, he introduced the Raita Vidya Nidhi scheme (scholarship for agricultural labourers' children), but that too was stopped. It is unfortunate that the Siddaramaiah-led government is unable to come to the rescue of farmers, who are in distress due to rains and floods," he added.
"None of the ministers have visited affected areas or met farmers. On the whole, the government has completely forgotten the interests of the farmers. Amid internal fighting in the ruling party for the CM post, the administrative machinery has completely collapsed," Vijayendra further said.
Noting that he has held discussions with the Leader of Opposition, party leaders, and alliance partner JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy regarding the plan of action for the upcoming winter session, Vijayendra said, "Issues concerning north Karnataka are usually neglected and discussed on the last day during the winter session at Belagavi, just for the sake of it."
"But this time, the opposition parties have decided to press for discussion on issues concerning north Karnataka, farmers, and irrigation in the first three to four days itself," he added.
Alleging a "conspiracy" by the Congress government in the state for not properly implementing central government schemes, he said, "To get the money released for the central government schemes, the state government will have to submit a progress report."
"Without doing any of that, if they say central funds are not coming, and the state government is responsible for it, it is not right. To hide its failures, the state government puts the blame on the Centre, and it has become a habit for them," he added.
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ED attaches fresh assets in PMLA case against Reliance Group; total attachment over Rs 10K cr
New Delhi (PTI): The Enforcement Directorate has attached fresh assets worth Rs 1,120 crore as part of its money laundering probe against the companies of Reliance Group chairman Anil Ambani, officials said.
Eighteen properties, including the Reliance Centre in Mumbai's Ballard Estate, fixed deposits, bank balance and shareholding in unqouted investments of Reliance Anil Ambani Group have been provisionally attached under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), they said.
Another set of seven properties of Reliance Infrastructure Ltd, two properties of Reliance Power Ltd, nine properties of Reliance Value Service Private Ltd, fixed deposits in the name of Reliance Value Service Private Ltd, Reliance Venture Asset Management Private Lt, Phi Management Solutions Private Ltd, Adhar Property Consultancy Pvt Ltd, Gamesa Investment Management Private Ltd and investments made in unquoted investment by Reliance Venture Asset Management Private Ltd and Phi Management Solutions Private Ltd have also been attached, they said.
The ED had earlier attached properties worth over Rs 8,997 crore in the bank fraud cases related to Reliance Communications Ltd (RCOM), Reliance Commercial Finance Ltd, and Reliance Home Finance Ltd.
The total attachment in the case against the Reliance Group is now Rs 10,117 crore.
