Congress receiving overwhelming support in bypolls: Siddaramaiah

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday said the Congress party is witnessing “more-than-expected public support” in the ongoing by-elections, particularly in the Davanagere South Assembly constituency.

Speaking to reporters at the MBA College helipad in Davanagere, the Chief Minister stated that voters have recognised the “failure” of the BJP to deliver development during its tenure. “People have understood the truth that the BJP did not carry out any meaningful development in the last four years and instead indulged in misgovernance,” he said.

Highlighting the state government’s welfare initiatives, Siddaramaiah asserted that the Congress government’s guarantee schemes are being effectively implemented despite what he termed as “false propaganda” by the opposition. “Even though BJP leaders claimed these guarantees would be discontinued after elections, they have continued uninterrupted. We have allocated ₹52,000 crore and already spent ₹1.31 lakh crore on these schemes,” he added.

Responding to criticism over state borrowing, the Chief Minister said Karnataka has maintained fiscal discipline within limits prescribed under the Fiscal Responsibility Act. He added that the state’s fiscal deficit stands at 2.95% and that the debt remains within 25% of the state GDP.

He accused the Centre of not releasing due funds, which has impacted the state’s ability to achieve a revenue surplus. “GST compensation and special grants due to the state have not been released. Reduction in GST rates has also caused a loss of around ₹10,000 crore to the state exchequer,” he said, criticising BJP leaders for making “baseless allegations.”

Siddaramaiah emphasised that the direct benefit transfer mechanism ensures transparency in the implementation of guarantee schemes. “Funds are directly transferred to beneficiaries’ bank accounts, leaving no room for corruption,” he said.

Addressing concerns over unpaid contractor bills, he said that dues amounting to ₹29,000 crore were left pending by the previous BJP government. “Out of this, ₹24,000 crore has already been cleared. We have provided detailed information on this in the Assembly,” he noted.

On rising prices, the Chief Minister said controlling inflation is primarily the responsibility of the Central government. “The Centre supplies fuel like LPG, petrol, and diesel, while the state only distributes them. Compared to neighbouring states, prices in Karnataka are relatively lower,” he said.

Reiterating the government’s stand on internal reservation, Siddaramaiah said the state is committed to implementing it. He dismissed BJP’s claims of gaining support from backward communities, accusing the party of favouring only the wealthy.

The Chief Minister also announced that the government plans to fill 56,432 vacant posts this year in a phased manner as part of its employment push.