Can’t Present Full Budget in Election Year, BSY Tells Siddaramaiah

BS Yeddyurappa said Siddaramaiah should only propose a short-term Budget till the state goes to polls.

As Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah prepares to present the state Budget on 16 February, former chief minister and BJP leader BS Yeddyurappa has cautioned the Karnataka Chief Minister against doing so during an election year, The Hindu reported.

The report goes on to quote Yeddyurappa as stating that with elections looming over the state tentatively in April-May of 2018, Siddaramaiah should only propose a short-term Budget till the state goes to polls, and allow the next government to present the Budget.

The opposition BJP raised the issue in an attempt to avoid any sudden presentation of welfare schemes or attempts that could influence the polls in the Congress’ favour.

Yeddyurappa made the attack against Siddaramaiah at a press conference in Mysuru on 23 January.

Siddaramaiah failed to spend even 50 percent of the 2017-18 Budget till December 2017. How will the present Karnataka government spend Rs 80,000 crore in the remaining three months of the financial year?

BS Yeddyurappa, Leader, Karnataka BJP

Yeddyurappa went on to state that the present government will have very little time to exhaust the funds under the newly presented Budget since the Code of Conduct comes into effect as soon as the Election Commission announces the dates of the Karnataka polls.

Yeddyurappa also questioned whether the flurry of events being attended by Siddaramaiah, including foundation stones being laid for different projects as a part of his Navakarnataka Nirmana Yatra, were provided for in the current Budget, and added that Siddaramaiah’s actions were deceiving the public.

(With inputs from The Hindu)

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