BY Raghavendra, MP Shivamogga, was talking to the media in Shivamogga on Saturday. | Photo credit: SK Dinesh
Shivamogga MP BY Raghavendra took strong exception to the Congress government’s convention in Haveri on the occasion of completing 1,000 days in office, noting that the Congress party’s rule in the state was a period of corruption and maladministration as well as moral and financial bankruptcy.
Addressing a press conference in Shivamogga on Saturday, Mr. Raghavendra expressed that the rally held in Haveri was not an event to celebrate the government’s achievements. “Given the failures of the government, this should be seen as an event that marks the suffering of the people. The government has failed on all fronts. It has not fulfilled its promises, corruption is rampant and there has been no development since the party came to power. Holding an event at this time is like embarrassing the people,” he said.
The party has assured the youth of financial assistance under Yuvanidhi. However, out of a total of 3.79 million applicants, only 2.9 million people received benefits. Gruhalakshmi’s fees were not paid even after the matter was raised during the Belagavi session. The transport corporations have not received the ₹4,800 crore owed to them in lieu of free travel for women under the Shakti scheme. Moreover, after the introduction of the Shakti scheme, the transport corporation has stopped its services on more than 1,200 rural routes, he claimed.
Between May 2023 and February 2026, as many as 2,809 farmers committed suicide in Karnataka. “Interestingly, more than 300 of these farmers are from Haveri district, where the Congress has decided to hold the rally. On the other hand, the contractors have not received payment for the work they have completed. The total dues to the contractors is over ₹ 37,000 crore,” he said. The BJP MP also demanded that the state government release a white paper on the expenditure incurred on development projects and outstanding loans.
The journey through the Agumbe tunnel
Responding to a query on the proposed tunnel project at Agumbe Ghat (NH 206), Mr. Raghavendra said that the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways had floated a tender for the preparation of a detailed report on the project. The project would include widening the existing road as well as the tunnel road. “Using advanced technology, the project can be implemented without much damage to nature,” he added.
Published – 14 Feb 2026 19:47 IST