Janakrosha Yatra a farce, BJP scared to question Centre: MLC

Mangaluru: The BJP's ongoing Janakrosha Yatra against the state govt and rising prices is nothing short of a farce, said KPCC working president and MLC Manjunath Bhandary. He challenged the BJP to launch protests against the central govt if they are genuinely concerned about Karnataka's development and the welfare of its people. "BJP leaders neither have the guts to raise their voice nor to even breathe a word against their leaders in Delhi," he ridiculed.
Criticising the Centre, he pointed out that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led govt recently hiked LPG cylinder prices by Rs 50. "Despite coming to power with tall promises, this govt has done nothing but burden the common man with price hikes. Even as international crude oil prices fell, domestic fuel rates remain high, deceiving the public," he said.
He added that the Centre imposed GST burdens on people and failed to release Karnataka's rightful share of GST funds. "If the BJP truly cares about Karnataka, let them march to Delhi with their Janakrosha Yatra," Bhandary challenged.
Defending the state govt's initiatives, he said that guarantee schemes improved the financial conditions of the common people. Citing the example of Prithvi Holi, a student from Savdatti Chikkoppa Government PU College, he said she was able to continue her education and excel in her PU exams with the help of the Gruha Lakshmi scheme.
He said that schemes like Shakti, Gruha Lakshmi, Anna Bhagya, Gruha Jyothi, and Yuva Nidhi uplifted several families and brought visible progress in social, educational, and healthcare sectors. Seeing the positive public response to these guarantees and the growing support for the state govt, BJP leaders are worried and trying to mislead the public with their Janakrosha campaign, he stated. "The people of the state are wise, and no drama by the BJP's team will work," Bhandary said.
Taking a dig at the BJP's internal dynamics, Bhandary said the party turned into a "theatre troupe" riddled with factionalism. "There are several disgruntled factions against BJP state president Vijayendra. Anyone who speaks up is sidelined. If this trend continues, more rebellion is inevitable within the BJP," he added.