Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Apr 10: Senior BJP leader R Ashoka has taken a sharp jab at the Congress-led Karnataka government, declaring that the strong public response to the party's Janakrosh Yatra reflects deep public anger over rising prices, corruption, and poor governance.

The Janakrosh Yatra, launched by the BJP across the state, is aimed at protesting what it calls the Congress government’s “appeasement politics” and failure to manage the state economy.

Ashoka, who serves as Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly, pointed to recent comments by senior Congress leaders as evidence of the government's failure. “When the Chief Minister’s own Economic Advisor, Basavaraj Rayareddy, admits that Karnataka tops the corruption chart, and a Cabinet Minister says the government will ‘take off’ only after 20 months, it reveals everything,” he said.

Labeling the Congress administration under CM Siddaramaiah as deceitful and dysfunctional, Ashoka claimed that the state is suffering under the weight of "unscientific" welfare schemes, which he believes have driven Karnataka toward financial ruin.

“Not a single real development initiative has taken off,” he asserted. “Prices are soaring, bribes are everywhere, and the common man is being crushed. Corruption is so widespread that government offices are practically auction houses for favors.”

Ashoka also alleged that internal turmoil within the Congress over potential leadership changes is further weakening governance. “This government has become a circus of controversies, corruption, and chaos,” he said.

The controversy intensified after Rayareddy recently remarked at a public event that Karnataka is “number one in corruption,” particularly in the Kalyan Karnataka region. He blamed rampant graft for poor-quality infrastructure, including buildings collapsing within years of construction.

BJP state president B.Y. Vijayendra echoed Ashoka’s sentiments, claiming Rayareddy’s statement “reveals the dark face” of the Congress regime.

As the political temperature rises in Karnataka, the Janakrosh Yatra appears set to become a key platform for the BJP ahead of upcoming electoral battles.