Hiring foreign consultancy to monitor state financial affairs is shocking: K’taka BJP chief

Bengaluru: Karnataka BJP President, BY Vijayendra stated on Friday that the appointment of a foreign consultancy to monitor the financial affairs of the state is shocking and surprising.

Speaking to the media after participating in the International Yoga Day celebrations at BJP headquarters in Bengaluru, Vijayendra said that Chief Minister Siddaramaiahhas chosen a foreign consultancy despite being surrounded by officers who are experts.

“Why did CM Siddaramaiah not find a suitable person from the state? There are many IAS officers available. Karnataka was ahead during the tenures of former CMs BS Yediyurappa and SM Krishna. I don’t think foreign experts will be able to help CM Siddaramaiah,” Vijayendra stated.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah should make it clear whether he wants Karnataka to be a development-oriented state and whether he wants the flow of capital to the state, he said.

“The government has failed on all fronts in the last year. There has been no development, no investment has come in, and Karnataka is suffering under CM Siddaramaiah’s leadership,” he claimed.

Vijayendra announced that all 19 Lok Sabha members of the BJP and JD(S) who were elected in the General Election would be felicitated on Saturday at the Palace Grounds in Bengaluru.

The Union ministers from the state will also be honoured, he stated.

Responding to a question about BJP MLA BP Harish’s allegation that the party’s defeat in the Davanagere Lok Sabha seat was due to former CM BS Yediyurappa and Vijayendra, he said, “I want to convey to my MLA friend Harish and others that if they think making public statements will solve issues, let them continue. However, I request them as the state party President to discuss matters at the party office. Public statements won’t do well for the party and will cause setbacks for the organisation.”

When asked about Deputy CM, DK Shivakumar’s potential candidacy in the Channapatna Assembly bypolls, he said that Shivakumar is already an MLA and has expressed his desire to contest from the seat publicly.

“However, it is unclear what is on the mind of the people. Shivakumar assumed he was invincible in the Bengaluru Rural Lok Sabha seat, but we have seen the mandate of the people there. The BJP-JD(S) leaders will decide soon on the candidature for the Channapatna bye-election,” he said.