Gadag, June 9 (IANS) Former Karnataka Chief Minister and BJP MP Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday alleged that the state is heading towards two years of continued political instability and dissatisfaction, claiming that internal conflicts within the Congress government are affecting governance and public welfare.
Speaking to reporters in Gadag, Bommai said that although the Congress party appears to have carried out a smooth transfer of power on the surface, internal tensions remain “alive like burning embers.” He claimed that recent confusion over cabinet portfolios itself reflected ongoing factional struggles within the ruling party.
He further alleged that Congress MLAs and ministers have not fully accepted the leadership of either Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar or Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara, and questioned the pressure being seen for ministerial positions. According to him, this reflects an internal belief among Congress legislators that the party may not return to power in 2028.
“There are many challenges. Only when a government is politically stable can it provide good governance. It remains to be seen how CM D.K. Shivakumar handles these issues,” Bommai said, adding that Shivakumar, often described as a “trouble shooter,” would now have to manage internal crises without external support.
He claimed that the coming two years would be marked by political instability, dissatisfaction, and a decline in administration, stating that the “common people will suffer due to the Congress party’s conflict-driven politics.”
On internal Congress dynamics, Bommai said that former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is “not sitting idle” and pointed out that the influence of leaders such as AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress Working Committee (CWC) Member Siddaramaiah, and the party high command was visible in the first phase of cabinet formation. He added that if Shivakumar’s supporters are accommodated in the next reshuffle, it would reflect his influence in the government.
Responding to allegations made by AICC General Secretary and Karnataka In-Charge Randeep Singh Surjewala that the BJP insulted former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda by not offering him a Rajya Sabha seat, Bommai said Surjewala had “little understanding of Karnataka politics” and accused him of “selective memory.”
He added that Congress had earlier removed Deve Gowda from the Prime Minister’s post and had also formed and collapsed governments with H.D. Kumaraswamy twice.
He said the BJP leadership was considering honouring Deve Gowda appropriately at the right time.
On fuel prices, Bommai said the recent increase in petrol and diesel prices was linked to global oil market disruptions and that the situation would stabilise within two weeks. He urged the state government to reduce fuel taxes to provide relief to the public.
“I reduced fuel prices by Rs 7 when I was Chief Minister. The state government should do the same,” he said, alleging that the current government has not reduced taxes but instead increased them.
He further claimed that Karnataka levies some of the highest fuel taxes in the country and that reducing them would ease the financial burden on citizens.
He also said the state government should acknowledge its fiscal constraints and act in the public interest by lowering taxes.
–IANS
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