Ashok blames Congress for increase in number of backward taluks in Karnataka

R. Ashok accuses the Congress of corruption, linking the rise in backward taluks in Karnataka to poor financial management.

Leader of the Opposition R. Ashok on Monday termed the ruling Congress government as “the most corrupt” and alleged that the number of backward taluks in the State had increased from 114 to 172 owing to corruption and poor financial management.

Speaking on the motion of thanks to the Governor’s address in the Legislative Assembly, Mr. Ashok said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who also holds the Finance portfolio, had presented 16 Budgets over the past three decades, yet regional imbalances had worsened. Citing the M. Govinda Rao Committee report on regional imbalances, he said the number of backward taluks should ideally have reduced to fewer than 100, especially in a State largely governed by the Congress.

The D.M. Najundappa committee on regional imbalances classified 114 taluks as backward in 2002.

Mr. Ashok alleged large-scale misuse of public funds, claiming that ₹5,000 crore meant for beneficiaries under the Gruha Lakshmi scheme for February–March 2025 had not been released. He also said about ₹667 crore  earmarked for the Anna Bhagya scheme for January 2025 remained unpaid.

Referring to backward taluks in North Karnataka, he alleged that not a single contract had been awarded to contractors from Karnataka and claimed that contractors from Andhra Pradesh were favoured and commissions collected. Quoting the Karnataka Contractors’ Association, he alleged that corruption had doubled in various departments. He questioned why no cases had been registered against KSCA office-bearers if the government had not received commissions.

Mr. Ashok also cited recent incidents, including the Lokayukta police arresting a police officer while accepting a ₹4 lakh bribe in Bengaluru and a drug racket crackdown by the Maharashtra police in the city.