Karnataka power tussle: Seer claims mutts backing DK Shivakumar got no budget funds
India Today
A prominent seer, Pranavananda Swamiji, alleged that mutts backing Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar to take over the top post were denied any allocation in the state budget presented by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. He reiterated his support for Shivakumar to take over as the chief minister.
It seems that the rumours of a power-sharing tussle in Karnataka refuse to die down. A prominent seer, Pranavananda Swamiji, on Monday claimed that mutts (Hindu monasteries) backing Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar were denied any allocation in the state budget presented by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah earlier this month. Notably, Pranavananda Swamiji supports Shivakumar to become the chief minister.
The latest flashpoint came after Congress MLA Iqbal Hussain, considered close to Shivakumar, publicly expressed his dissatisfaction last week over what he called inadequate fund allocation to his Ramanagara constituency. He alleged that key development demands were ignored despite repeated appeals to Siddaramaiah, triggering renewed chatter of factionalism within the Karnataka Congress.
Escalating the controversy further, Pranavananda Swamiji accused the state government of deliberately sidelining mutts that had backed Shivakumar’s bid for the chief ministerial post. Claiming that “not even a single rupee” was allocated to such institutions in the budget, the seer alleged political discrimination.
“There is another reason for coming here today. In the recent budget, not even a single rupee was allocated to the mutts of those swamijis who had met DK Shivakumar and urged that he be made the chief minister,” he said, adding that Siddaramaiah had allegedly taken a stand that no support should be extended to them.
Pranavananda Swamiji claimed that during his recent 700-kilometre padayatra (foot march) to Bengaluru, where he presented community demands, Siddaramaiah had conveyed to leaders that those backing Shivakumar would not receive assistance.
“It appears that the Chief Minister is indulging in politics. Even those of us who worked hard are now being targeted,” he alleged.
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