Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has strongly denied allegations from Leader of Opposition R. Ashok, who claimed that funds from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) were being diverted to implement the state’s guarantee schemes.
Speaking to reporters in Belagavi on October 4, Mr. Siddaramaiah asserted that the immense success of these guarantee schemes has visibly unnerved BJP leaders, suggesting their critical statements stem from a fear of losing influence.
He highlighted that the BJP itself has begun adopting similar guarantee schemes in states like Bihar, Delhi, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Haryana, despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi having previously dismissed their feasibility. “The Congress government, however, has delivered on its promises,” the Chief Minister added.
Addressing a comment by BJP MLC C.T. Ravi regarding a potential change in Karnataka’s Chief Minister, Mr. Siddaramaiah stated that the leadership of the Congress party is an internal matter and the BJP has no cause for concern.
Furthermore, Mr. Siddaramaiah spoke about the Belagavi Institute of Medical Sciences (BIMS) super specialty hospital. He proudly noted that he had laid the foundation stone for this hospital in 2017, and after a period of stagnation during the previous BJP administration, he was now delighted to inaugurate the completed project.
He also clarified that the maintenance of the newly inaugurated super specialty hospital has not been outsourced to any private entity, dispelling any rumors to that effect.