Factionalism within Congress fueling power tussle, governance paralysed: Chalavadi Narayanaswamy

Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy alleged that the State government was paralysed by internal power struggle within the Congress, and the governance had come to a standstill.

Speaking to reporters here on Tuesday, the BJP leader said the State had witnessed coalition governments of BJP-JD(S) in the past.

“But for the first time, the State was witnessing an exercise by Congress leaders to cobble a majority by roping in MLAs from different factions within their own party, so as to control power,” he added.

While Chief Minister Siddaramaiah claimed he enjoyed a majority and would complete a five-year tenure all these days, the tune has mellowed down and he now says the decision has been left to the party high command, which, according to Mr. Narayanaswamy, was an indicator of power struggle and instability within the party.

The Congress was so consumed by the internal tussle between Mr. Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar that there was paralysis of administration in the State, he added.

“There are centres to procure MLAs, but no centres to procure crops,” he remarked caustically, accusing the government of neglecting farmers hit by floods, drought, and price crashes.

He also questioned the authority of AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge and his ‘failure’ to arrest the drift within the Congress stating that it was affecting governance in the State.

“As the AICC president, if he is not the high command and has to take directions from Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, then he has been appointed to shield the Gandhis from criticism and take blame for the failures,” said Mr. Narayanaswamy.

“Though the rift within the Congress is an internal issue, it has affected governance and as a responsible Opposition, we must raise these issues,” he added.

Mr. Narayanaswamy also attacked the Congress over its claims of protecting the Constitution, alleging that the party had historically sidelined Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and diluted constitutional values.

He said that it was the BJP that instituted Constitution Day, honoured Ambedkar through national programmes and ensured broader implementation of constitutional provisions, adding that Dalits had been ‘betrayed again’ through diversion of SC/ST funds to guarantee schemes.

The Congress has spared no efforts to prevent a Dalit from becoming the Chief Minister and when it was certain that G. Parameshwar was a strong candidate to become the first Chief Minister in 2013, Mr. Siddaramaiah ensured his defeat, Mr. Narayanswamy alleged.