Congress Blames PM Modi for Electoral Losses, Says Union Minister Prahlad Joshi
Prahlad Joshi criticizes Congress for blaming PM Modi for electoral defeats, highlighting partys poor performance in various states.
Bengaluru, September 25 (Daily Kiran) : Union Minister Prahlad Joshi responded sharply to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s recent inquiry about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s electoral success during a Lok Sabha session. Joshi labeled Gandhi’s question as peculiar, questioning why the Congress party attributes its losses to the Prime Minister.
Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Joshi remarked, “Why does Rahul Gandhi ask why PM Modi has not lost? It’s an odd question. Why are you blaming him for your defeats?” He pointed out Congress’s lackluster performance in states like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand, and Jammu and Kashmir, urging the party to reflect on its own failures.
Joshi also criticized the Karnataka government’s handling of the drought situation, accusing it of negligence and shifting blame onto the central government for its shortcomings. He stated that before seeking assistance from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF), the state government should first utilize its own State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF). He noted that previous administrations, led by B.S. Yediyurappa and Basavaraj Bommai, had effectively managed this process.
The minister claimed that the state government had misallocated funds intended for farmers and was using the drought crisis to mask its financial issues. He alleged that the identification of drought-affected areas was politically motivated, particularly in constituencies where legislators had threatened to resign.
Joshi assured that the central government remains committed to addressing Karnataka’s needs and will consider aid following an assessment of the drought situation by a central team. In response to demands for loan waivers for farmers, he promised that the central government would take appropriate steps in the interest of the people of Karnataka.
He accused the Congress government of financial mismanagement and corruption, asserting that the finance department itself had acknowledged insufficient funding for various programs. Joshi also alleged that important positions within the government were being auctioned off, contributing to widespread corruption.
He cited a specific case where a tehsildar allegedly requested 5 million rupees for land record improvements. Regarding the Kasturirangan report, Joshi accused the state government of attempting to shift responsibility to the central authority, stating that the central government would make decisions based on environmental studies and expert opinions.
