Leader of the Opposition R. Ashok criticizes the Congress government

Leader of the Opposition R. Ashok at a press conference in Hassan on Tuesday (May 26). | Photo credit: PRAKASH HASSAN

An internal power struggle within the ruling Congress party has rendered the Karnataka government virtually non-functional, Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly R. Ashok said on Tuesday (May 26).

Talking to reporters during his visit to Hassan, Mr. Ashok said that most of the ministers had gone to Delhi, leaving the state administration without leadership. He added that the Congress high command was too weak to intervene and restore order. “The state is beset with problems. The finance ministry is struggling to pay salaries, but the ministers and Congress leaders are enjoying themselves in Delhi. They are cheating the very people who elected them to power,” he said.

On the state finances, Mr Ashok claimed that Karnataka’s total debt under the Congress government had already crossed ₹7 crore and warned that it would reach ₹8.5 crore within a year. By the end of the party’s term, the figure could reach ₹10 crore, he said. “Siddaramaiah has amassed more debt than all the previous Chief Ministers of Karnataka put together,” he noted.

Mr. Ashok attributed the dismal state of the exchequer to what he called “unscientific and fiscally irresponsible guarantee schemes”. Clarifying that the BJP is not fundamentally opposed to welfare measures, he said, “During our tenure, we gave bicycles to students and introduced the Bhagyalakshmi scheme – all well-planned initiatives calibrated to income. The present government, on the other hand, announced guarantee schemes purely to get votes without thinking about sustainability,” he said.

Published – 26 May 2026 19:09 IST