Cong govt in Karnataka "as good as dead", charges BJP veteran Yediyurappa

Alleging that the Congress administration in Karnataka has completely failed in all sectors and it is totally bankrupt, veteran BJP leader B S Yediyurappa on Tuesday said that this government is ''as good as dead.'' Claiming that his party will not allow the government to continue ''this way,'' the former Chief Minister threatened about BJP launching an agitation against its failures and irresponsible practices.

''For the pay revision of government employees, a pay commission was constituted and interim relief is being given, but this government citing lame excuses has extended the tenure of the pay commission. This government doesn't have money -- to manage the drought situation, to implement poll guarantees. They also don't have money to pay salaries,'' Yediyurappa alleged.

Speaking to reporters here, he said, this government in a way is bankrupt, and noted that when the BJP government was in power, Karnataka was among the developed states in the country. Claiming that in the last five-six months, since this government came to power, it has failed in all sectors, Yediyurappa said, ''The government is totally bankrupt.

Looking at its failure in protecting the interest of the state and welfare of the poor and downtrodden, and it also not releasing funds for the welfare of SC/STs -- this government is as good as dead.'' The government is wasting time, giving lame excuses, he alleged and said that ''we will not let this continue for long. All the leaders (of BJP) have discussed this and we are planning for an agitation against all this.'' Hitting out at Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar for making ''irresponsible'' comments against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government, Yediyurappa, who is also member of BJP's all- important Parliamentary Board, said: ''If they have arrogance to criticise the Prime Minister, who is respected globally, people will teach them a lesson.''