Describing the Congress party’s decision to replace Chief Minister Siddaramaiah as an admission that the State had seen no development in the last three years, Shivamogga MP B.Y. Raghavendra said it remained unclear how long the party would continue to hold power.

Speaking to journalists at Soraba in Shivamogga district on Thursday, Mr. Raghavendra said the government had spent its tenure chanting the mantra of guarantee schemes, yet had failed to implement them effectively. He pointed out that the absence of adequate bus services in rural areas had meant that the free transport scheme for women had not reached those who needed it most. The government had also failed to extend the Yuvanidhi scheme to all eligible candidates, he said.

“There has been no development in the last three years. How can one expect the State to achieve progress in the remaining two? Until now, party leaders have been engaged in a power struggle. The recently held convention at Tumakuru was nothing but a platform for the tussle between the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister,” he said.

Price hike

Responding to a question on rising fuel prices, Mr. Raghavendra said India was fortunate to have Narendra Modi as Prime Minister. Despite the ongoing crisis in West Asia, he said, the country had not faced a fuel shortage.

“When the entire world is experiencing a price rise, we must bear with it. The people of Soraba and Shikaripur understand that LPG cylinders can reach them only if supply through the Strait of Hormuz remains uninterrupted,” he said.