“Is Karnataka being ruled from Bengaluru or T’puram?”: BJP steps up attack on govt

Bengaluru: The BJP on Sunday mounted a fresh and sharp attack on the Congress-led Karnataka government, questioning whether the state is being governed by Kannadigas or under the influence of political leadership from neighbouring Kerala.

In a strongly worded statement, BJP leaders alleged that while Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar remain engrossed in internal power-sharing issues and leadership tussles, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has begun “dictating” how administration should be carried out in Karnataka. The opposition further claimed that Congress general secretary K.C. Venugopal, who hails from Kerala, had expressed sympathy towards such interference, reinforcing concerns about external influence over state affairs.

The BJP also took exception to the state government’s response following the demolition of an allegedly illegal settlement set up by migrants near Kogilu Cross in Bengaluru. Pointing out that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had expressed regret over the clearance operation and promised to provide alternative arrangements to the displaced, the party said the move reflected political appeasement rather than firm governance.

According to the BJP, the Congress leadership is being driven by an obsession with retaining power and by electoral compulsions linked to the forthcoming Kerala Assembly elections, particularly the desire to secure minority votes. The party alleged that in the process, the Congress was undermining Karnataka’s administrative autonomy and dignity. The statement recalled that the Kerala government had earlier announced compensation of Rs 30 lakh for victims of elephant attacks in Wayanad and claimed that, with Kerala polls approaching, the Congress was now willing to “sacrifice Karnataka’s self-respect” to align with the interests of the Communist government in the neighbouring state. Taking a swipe at the ruling party, BJP leaders said that even if Karnataka’s governance were “flattened under the bulldozers of Kerala’s Communist regime,” the Congress would remain silent. The party sarcastically remarked that such conduct deserved praise from the Congress’s so-called “brave Kannadiga” leaders.

The remarks come amid rising political confrontation in Karnataka, with the BJP intensifying its criticism of the Siddaramaiah–Shivakumar government over governance priorities, federal autonomy and alleged vote-bank politics.