Expressing his views on the social media platform ’X’, Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly, R Ashoka, lambasted the Congress government, asserting that despite the alleged embezzlement of ₹187 crore in the Valmiki Development Corporation scandal, no one had faced consequences.
“A disgraced leader who misappropriated funds intended for Scheduled Tribes has been granted a ministerial position once again! The corrupt Congress government should hang its head in shame,” he stated, referencing Nagendra’s appointment in the D K Shivakumar Cabinet.
“Did Rahul Gandhi and the Congress high command commend this supposed ‘ability to loot’ and grant him a ministerial role?” he inquired, claiming that this represents a serious injustice to the people of Karnataka, particularly the Valmiki community.
“The citizens of Karnataka will never overlook this corruption, collusion, and protection of those accused of misappropriation. The end of this ‘government of loot’ is imminent,” he claimed.
In a separate post on X, Ashoka asserted that the Congress government was experiencing increasing internal conflict over the Cabinet expansion, noting that Indi MLA Yashavanthray Gowda had resigned while Sagar MLA Belur Gopalakrishna had threatened to step down.
Ashoka further stated that supporters of MLA Laxmi Hebbalkar organized a protest after she was bypassed, and alleged that legislators from Kolar and Chikkaballapur were planning a meeting amid calls for mass resignations due to inadequate Cabinet representation.
He additionally claimed that Raichur, Yadgir, and Uttara Kannada districts were also left unrepresented, criticizing the government for not including any women in the newly expanded Cabinet despite its prominent welfare initiatives for women.
BJP state president B Y Vijayendra criticized Chief Minister Shivakumar, asserting that after waiting two months at the high command’s doorstep, he ultimately formed a “remarkable” Cabinet by appointing those with corruption allegations and those who failed to prevent question paper leaks as ministers.
“You talk about women’s welfare, opposed the Women’s Reservation Bill proposed by the Central government, and now have not appointed a single woman to your Cabinet. Is this your concern for women?” he questioned in a post on X.
The BJP leader also mocked the Congress, pointing out that another “achievement” was that eight districts had not been allocated even a single ministerial position.
“Was there not one capable individual from these eight districts worthy of becoming a minister?” he asked, claiming that the people will deliver a fitting response to this government, which endorses corruption and neglects women, in the future.
During the first expansion of the two-month-old Karnataka Cabinet under Chief Minister Shivakumar, 19 MLAs were sworn in as ministers on Monday, even as a Congress legislator resigned due to his exclusion from the ministry.
Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot administered the oath of office and secrecy to the new ministers in a ceremony held at the Lok Bhavan premises in Bengaluru.
