Surjewala urges Centre to release drought relief to Karnataka, questions "silence" of BJP MPs
Bengaluru (PTI): Congress General Secretary and Karnataka incharge Randeep Singh Surjewala on Wednesday urged the union government to immediately release Centre's grants to the State including drought relief without any further delay.
He also questioned the ''silence'' of BJP MPs on the matter. In a statement here, he said the state government had declared 223 taluks among the total 236 as drought-hit, and there is a loss of standing crop in over 48.19 lakh hectare, as per study report from experts.
The small and marginal farmers are in dire straits, Surjewala said.
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"The state government in a memorandum to the Centre had sought to release Rs 18,177.44 crore relief funds, which included Rs 4,663.12 crore towards input subsidy, 12,577.86 crore for emergency relief and another Rs 363.68 crore to save cattle heads. However, the union government plays deaf to the state's memorandum," he alleged. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda had also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah and appealed for the release of central aid to Karnataka, Surjewala noted.
Deputy Chief minister DK Shivakumar had also met the Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and other senior officials of the Agriculture ministry and presented a memorandum, but still a ''mute response'' from the Centre, Surjewala said.
"Centre should also take steps to release other stalled grants," he said. He also alleged that MPs from Karnataka remain mute spectators on Centre's ''injustice'' to the State and criticised them for not responding to the plight of farmers, who are in great distress. "They are waiting for immediate relief from the Centre. There are 26 BJP and one BJP supported MPs in Karnataka, I failed to understand what they are doing in support of the distressed farmers and people of Karnataka,'' Surjewala said.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
