Congress will win at least 20 LS seats in Karnataka, says CM Siddaramaiah
Mysuru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, addressing reporters at Mandakalli Airport in the city on Sunday, expressed optimism about the Congress party's prospects in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Karnataka, foreseeing a victory in at least 20 seats.
While refraining from echoing the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) claim of a clean sweep across all 28 seats, Siddaramaiah asserted the Congress's confidence in securing a minimum of 20 seats. He underscored the party's strategic approach amidst the BJP-JD(S) alliance dynamics in the state.
Commenting on the alliance, Siddaramaiah suggested that it had inadvertently favored the Congress, though he declined to elaborate further, citing the need for discretion on certain matters.
Criticizing the BJP's performance, Siddaramaiah questioned the fulfillment of the party's electoral promises, highlighting unmet pledges such as the distribution of Rs 15 lakh to each family and the creation of two crore jobs. He accused the BJP of propagating hollow assurances and misleading the public.
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Responding to queries about ticket allocations to ministers' children, Siddaramaiah clarified that such decisions were made considering public sentiment and trust in the candidates. He emphasized that the Congress remained committed to meritocracy and denied engaging in dynastic politics.
Addressing remarks by MLA and former Congress minister SR Srinivas regarding his potential resignation, Siddaramaiah dismissed any suggestion of stepping down in case of an electoral setback. He clarified that Srinivas had expressed support for Siddaramaiah's leadership, citing his contributions to guarantee schemes and welfare initiatives for the underprivileged.
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Over 2,800 farmers died by suicide in Karnataka since 2023-24 FY: Minister
Bengaluru (PTI): A total of 2,809 farmers have died by suicide in Karnataka since the 2023-24 fiscal year, with the state ranking second in the country for such suicides, Minister N Cheluvarayaswamy has informed the state legislative assembly.
In a written reply to a question from BJP MLA Arvind Bellad during the ongoing winter session in Belagavi, the state agricultural minister said that 1,254 farmer suicides were reported in 2023-24 fiscal, 1,178 in 2024-25, and 377 cases were recorded in 2025-26 (as of now).
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According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), Karnataka ranks second nationally in farmer suicides. However, Cheluvarayaswamy noted a decrease in suicides compared to the previous three years.
Data provided by the minister revealed that Haveri reported the highest number of suicides, with 297 cases, followed by Belagavi at 259, Kalaburagi (234), Dharwad (195), and Mysuru (190).
In terms of compensation, the state government disbursed Rs 54 crore to 1,081 eligible farmer families in 2023-24, Rs 44.8 crore to 896 families in 2024-25, and Rs 9.65 crore to 193 families in 2025-26 (until November). There are 112 cases still under review.
The government attributed the delay in compensation payments to technical issues, assuring that once resolved, payments will be made promptly.
Of the 1,254 suicides reported in 2023-24, 164 cases were rejected, and 1,090 families were deemed eligible for compensation.
In the 2024-25 fiscal year, 156 cases were rejected, with 1,022 families eligible. For the current fiscal year (2025-26), 46 cases out of 377 suicides were rejected, and 310 families have been deemed eligible for compensation.
BJP State President B Y Vijayendra criticised the Congress-led state government, accusing it of "divine negligence" over the issue of farmer suicides.
"There is no excuse for the negligence of this corrupt Congress government, which has failed to address the plight of farmers. In the last 2.5 years, Karnataka has become second in farmer suicides," he said on 'X'.
It is "shocking" that 2,809 farmers have taken their lives under their rule, he added.
