Karwar: Priyanka Gandhi again accuses Karnataka government of looting 1.5 lakh crore
Karwar: Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has accused the BJP government in Karnataka of looting Rs 1.5 lakh crore from the people in the name of ‘40% commission’. While campaigning for RV Deshpande, the Congress candidate in Karwar, Vadra claimed that if the money had been utilized appropriately, it could have provided several amenities like roads, education institutes, and health facilities to the citizens of the state.
Speaking about social harmony, Vadra urged people to beware of misleading statements by the BJP and emphasized the need for unity among citizens of different religions. She further criticized the BJP for attempting to separate people during election times and misleading them with false promises.
Vadra reminded the people that the BJP is the current ruling party in Karnataka and asked them to pay attention to who would work towards preventing a hike in prices of daily necessities, preventing corruption, and providing employment opportunities to the youth. She also highlighted the fact that the BJP had promised 24 new schemes for the women of Karnataka but had only implemented two.
Comparing herself to her grandmother and former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, Vadra said that she has not undertaken any work, but Indira Gandhi had implemented many development works for the people. She requested the people to opt for change in the state through this year’s elections and to notice which party is pro-people and which is against.
Vadra also emphasized the teachings of Basavanna and Narayana Guru, asking people to opt for truth and reality in their choices. She ended her speech by urging the people to cast their votes wisely.
Vadra began her speech in Kannada, with ‘Ellarigoo namaskara’, which was well received by the people in attendance. She also apologized for arriving late for the campaign convention and shared that Deshpande had taken her to task for the delay, stating that as a leader with 50 years of experience in the political field, Deshpande had every right to do so.
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Internal discontent surfaces in BJD over shift on Waqf Bill stand
Bhubaneswar, Apr 6 (PTI): All doesn't seem well within the opposition BJD headed by former chief minister Naveen Patnaik as senior leaders of the regional outfit voiced their objections following the party’s alleged change of stand over the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025 which was passed in Parliament recently.
While former minister Bhupinder Singh on Sunday described the prevailing situation in the BJD akin to ‘Kalabaishakhi’ (Nor’wester), party’s deputy leader in the Assembly and former MP Prasanna Acharya suspected the hand of some "external force" behind the party's alleged decision not to oppose the Waqf Bill.
The rift seems to be gradually widening with the BJD rank and file denouncing the change of party’s stand which has put its secular credentials at stake.
However, Acharya defended the party’s stand, saying there might have been a change in the decision regarding the Bill, but the BJD continues to uphold its secular credentials.
He further explained, "Ours is a secular party, maintaining equal distance from both the NDA and the UPA. As a regional party, BJD supports or opposes any issue based on the interests of Odisha."
Bhupinder Singh, also a former Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, acknowledged the discontent within the party over the Waqf Bill issue.
"There is discontent within the party, and we must accept it. However, our leader, Naveen Patnaik, is capable of handling the situation. This is just a temporary phase,”" Singh said, adding that Patnaik has always promoted communal harmony without religious discrimination.
The controversy began after Sasmit Patra, BJD’s leader in the Rajya Sabha, posted a message stating that party members were free to vote on the Waqf Bill based on their conscience.
This statement contradicted the party’s earlier decision, where the parliamentary party had resolved to oppose the Bill.
Acharya admitted that there has been widespread discussion within the party about who changed BJD’s stance and whether an "external force" is influencing the decision.
"Who is the force working for and against the party? All leaders are united in their view that such decisions should be made within the party forum, like the Parliamentary Party. The party will face problems if decisions are made by external forces," he said.
Acharya expressed confidence that Patra was not the person who altered the party’s stance on the Waqf Bill.
"Let Patra return from his foreign tour. He has no authority to make such decisions. He should be following directions from someone. Everything will be clear once he speaks out about who directed him to change the party’s decision," Acharya added.
He said discussions are ongoing within the party to identify those who might be operating behind the scenes, influencing critical decisions without the leadership’s knowledge.
Meanwhile, veteran Congress leader and former Leader of Opposition, Narasingha Mishra, alleged that someone else is making decisions for the BJD while Patnaik is effectively in "house arrest."
Mishra claimed, "He is being controlled from behind the scenes by his chief advisor. This is not the first time he has been put in such a position."
He also alleged a possible "deal" between the BJP and the BJD, suggesting it could explain the party’s shift in stance on the Waqf Bill.
Adding to the controversy, BJP MP Balabhadra Majhi predicted the eventual collapse of the BJD, saying, "The party has no ideology or guiding principles and is being driven by inexperienced leadership. It will soon vanish from the state’s political landscape."
