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

Belagavi (Karnataka), Dec 10 (PTI) Demand for development funds for their constituencies and apathy of bureaucrats were among the issues raised by party MLAs during the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting here, party sources said.

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

The meeting chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, 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 funds for their constituency development, and expressed reservation regarding the functioning of bureaucrats.

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

According to sources, the CM promised 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 the 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.

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 the Congress government's contribution to north Karnataka and farmers' issues, to counter the opposition, they added.

The meeting took place amid a power tussle within the ruling party and 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.

PTI KSU SA ROH