CLP meeting: MLAs demand funds, highlight bureaucratic apathy to CM

Belagavi (Karnataka), Dec 9 (PTI) Demand for development funds for their constituencies and bureaucratic apathy were among the issue raised by party MLAs before Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah during the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting on Tuesday, party sources said.

Congress legislators are said to have asserted before the leadership that guarantee schemes were alone not enough, development was also needed, they said.

The meeting chaired by the CM, who is also the leader of the CLP, was attended by Deputy CM D K Shivakumar, who is the state Congress chief, ministers, and legislators.

During the meeting, some Congress legislators demanded for funds for their constituency development, and expressed reservation regarding the functioning of bureaucrats, sources said.

Officials sitting on files of MLAs and some corruption allegations were also raised, they said.

Sources said, the CM assured legislators that out of Rs 50 crore assured per MLA, the money will be released in a phased manner and that he would speak to Finance Department regarding this.

Siddaramaiah during the meeting asked party legislators to effectively counter the opposition's attack against the government on issues concerning north Karnataka, and sugarcane and maize farmers issue, official sources said.

The CM told legislators that the central government did not stand by sugarcane and maize farmers. He also accused the BJP of trying to instigate farmers against the state's government, despite its best efforts to provide relief to them.

Apparently a handout is said to have been given to legislators regarding Congress government's contribution to north Karnataka and farmers' issues, to counter the opposition, they added.

The meeting took place amid power tussle within the ruling party and amid speculations about a change in chief minister in the state, after the Congress government reached the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20. The speculation was fuelled by an alleged "power-sharing" agreement involving Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar in 2023.

However, both CM and Deputy CM had recently held breakfast meetings at each others residences, on the instructions of the high command, which is seen as a move to pause the leadership tussle between the two and to signal Siddaramaiah's continuation as the CM for the time being, especially ahead of the Belagavi legislature session from December 8. PTI KSU SA