N. Ravikumar, BJP MLC, Shashikala Jolle, MLA, and other leaders meeting drought-hit farmers at Yaragatti in Belagavi on Sunday (August 9).
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
BJP has urged the Karnataka government to immediately start drought relief works in the State. The government should take up assessment of crop loss and begin distribution of compensation. There is no point waiting for the resumption of rainfall, N. Ravikumar, BJP MLC, said at Yaragatti in Belagavi district on Sunday (August 9).
He was heading a team of party legislators and leaders visiting drought-hit areas in various districts.
The delegation visited fields of some farmers at Yaragatti, Ramadurga, Sopadla, Chandargi, and Kadakol villages.
Mr. Ravikumar said that it is unfortunate that after so many days of drought, the State is yet to have an Agriculture Minister. The Congress should stop all its internal quarrels and allot portfolios to Ministers. The State should also start distribution of crop loss relief without waiting for reports from the Central teams. Additional relief can be sought from the Centre later, he said.
The MLC alleged that Rahul Gandhi and other senior leaders were treating Karnataka as an ATM to fund the Congress party’s activities. Congress has set up ATMs in four or five places in Karnataka. Party leaders receive payments from such places. The people of the State will realise the truth one day, he said.
“Farmers are suffering due to the drought. But the government does not seem to be worried. Karnataka Congress is suffering from dissidence and ego problems of leaders. The party has vertically split into two groups, owing the allegiances to Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. The latter is silent as he is hurt that he was unceremoniously removed,” alleged Mr. Ravikumar.
Due to the unscientific manner in which the Cabinet was expanded, several communities are upset, the MLC claimed.
“All OBC communities are angry at the Congress government. They feel that injustice has been done to many communities in the expansion,’’ he said.
On Bangladeshi immigrants
“The State government has not properly carried out the raid on the alleged Bangladeshi infiltrators. The Bengaluru police are claiming that 33 teams have detected only around 2,894 illegal Bangladeshi immigrants. If properly done, over a lakh would be found, he said. The government should take it seriously and send them back,’’ he said.
BJP district president Subhash Patil, MLAs Shashikala Jolle, Vitthal Halagekar and Duryodhan Aihole, former MLA Sanjay Patil, Raitha Morcha State president A.S. Patil Nadahalli, district president Jagadish Budihal, party divisional convener Basavaraj Yankanchi, local leaders and others were present.
Published – August 09, 2026 06:40 pm IST
