Turbulent, but floating – Hindu

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah introduced the press conference on May 5, 2025. Image source: Hindu

tHis Karnataka-based Congress government will mark its second anniversary at a major event in North Karnataka on March 20.

It was already a big deal for that man. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah faithfully manages the state’s economy, including the expenses funded for Congress’ “five “guarantees”; deals with the social welfare agenda; and even if that means raising the prices of fuel and alcohol to tap into more resources, it also meets the needs of development and infrastructure. His government has rolled out plans and added allowances for several parts of society. It has already spent nearly 8 billion rupees on the five “guarantees”, including free buses for women. It has also successfully held meetings of global investors this year and surpassed its target by investing in a net worth of Rs 1 million.

However, the Chief Minister also suffered from many political storms, including attempts to usurp his post, Congressional factionism, so-called scams, and joint attacks by the Bharatiya Janata Party and Janata Dal (Scular). His series of troubles began with the so-called multi-billion dollar scam in a tribal development company planned by Maharshi Valmiki in Karnataka, which is still under investigation by the law enforcement bureau. Subsequently, the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) allegedly illegally allocated 14 locations to his wife Parvathi (now surrendered); political tensions in socio-economic and educational investigations by the National Commission on Backward Classes; and factionalism. Karnataka also faces social tensions in many cases, but the government has firmly handled these situations and thwarted attempts to incite caste and public conflict.

After unremitting efforts to corruption allegations against the previous BJP government’s “40% committee” in the 2023 congress elections, Congress ironically found itself tainted in the same way and could not seem to make a leap in development. The government has established a judicial investigation committee to investigate the alleged public contracts awarded during the BJP government. But so far, no evidence has been found unless there are some serious mistakes and violations in the 19 Covid-19 administration.

Meanwhile, the government also collided with the coalition government led by Raj Bhavan and Narendra Modi-Led. It strongly protested the approval of the prosecution of Mr. Siddaramaiah on the Muda land issue, despite repeated requests by Karnataka Lokayukta, despite repeated requests by Karnataka Lokayukta. The government also accuses state lawmakers of passing withholding bills passed by the state legislature and keeps the president’s bill to provide 4% quotas for Muslims (according to other backward class quotas) in public contract works. The allocation of Congress also frequently attacked the Modi regime to deny a fair share of taxes to Karnataka, cut grants under the 15th Finance Committee and delay permits for long-term urgent irrigation projects.

The government has also trespassed through several legal and order issues. In 2024, a bomb exploded in a cafe in Bangalore. In the same year, a student, Neha Hiremath, was stabbed to death in Hubballi. Recently, Suhas Shetty, a Hindu activist in Mangalore, was murdered. Some borrowers who cannot deduct loans from unregistered microfinance institutions died of suicide. State police allegedly abused privileges in a gold smuggling case involving actor Ranya Rao.

With speculations that a possible change in leadership, factions loyal to Mr. Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar participated in the Shadow battle in a bid to destroy each other over the past two years. Ultimately, the intervention of Mallikarjuna Kharge, director of the All-India Congress Committee, forced the warring factions to calm down, at least temporarily.

As India and Pakistan agree to a ceasefire, the government has decided to continue the “Sadana Samavisa (Achievement Rally)” on May 20.