Congress General Secretary K.C. Venugopal asserted that the party will not succumb to the BJP-JD-S conspiracy to sabotage the Karnataka government and they would go to the people and explain the facts to them.

Addressing the media after holding a meeting with ministers at Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s residence on Sunday, he dubbed Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot’s decision to issue a show cause notice to the Chief Minister over the alleged Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) land scam as unfortunate.

He defended Siddaramaiah, highlighting his long-standing commitment to public service and integrity, and asserting that his political journey and values are well-known and respected by the people of Karnataka.

Venugopal claimed that the BJP and the JD-S are trying to destabilise the government because of its successful implementation of guarantee schemes for the poor, claiming that these schemes are seen as a threat to the opposition’s political interests, prompting them to create controversies and undermine the government’s stability.

Criticising the Governor, Venugopal described his actions as unfortunate and indicative of BJP influence. He accused the Governor of attempting to create a perception of instability by issuing notices to the Chief Minister.

He dismissed the BJP’s claims of corruption as hypocritical, pointing out legal issues involving BJP state President B.Y. Vijayendra and jailed former JD-S MP Prajwal Revanna.

He assured that any genuine legal concerns would be addressed through appropriate channels and reiterated the Congress’s commitment to supporting the poor and continuing its guarantee schemes. He also criticised the Central government for its inadequate support and funding for Karnataka in the recent Union Budget.

Venugopal pledged that the Congress would continue to stand united and fight against these destabilisation efforts.

He said that the BJP has a history of toppling governments in the state. In 2018, the Congress-JD-S coalition government was brought down by a conspiracy by the BJP central leadership, and the party yet again targeted the Congress government in Karnataka with the same clear intention, he alleged.

The Congress leader vowed that the party would fight these attempts to sabotage the government and pledged to raise awareness among the public about the benefits of the guarantee schemes and the opposition’s efforts to disrupt them. He stated that ministers and legislators are directed to visit their constituencies and communicate the government’s achievements and plans directly to the people.

He accused the BJP and JD-S leaders of trying to protect their interests and their family members by creating issues against the Congress government.