Vatal Nagaraj criticised the Belagavi winter session, alleging it failed to address North Karnataka issues, focusing instead on power politics
Ramanagara
Kannada Chaluvali Vatal Paksha president Vatal Nagaraj on Thursday strongly criticised the recently concluded winter session of the Karnataka Legislature held at Suvarna Soudha in Belagavi, alleging that it was reduced to dinner meetings held either in support of or against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. He said the session had completely failed to address the serious and long-pending issues faced by North Karnataka.
Speaking at a symbolic protest organised at Aijoor Circle in Ramanagara, Vatal Nagaraj said leaders across parties repeatedly speak about injustice to North Karnataka, but neither the government nor the opposition shows real political will to ensure the region’s comprehensive development. He accused both the ruling party and opposition of neglecting critical regional concerns.
Vatal said the session should have begun with a unanimous resolution focusing on the holistic development of North Karnataka. He stressed that serious discussions were required on irrigation, education, infrastructure, transport facilities, border disputes, and other pressing problems. After such discussions, the government should have committed to releasing funds within a fixed timeline and initiating concrete action. None of this happened. The session has been a complete failure, he alleged.
He further claimed that the Belagavi session was dominated by debates around the Chief Minister’s post rather than governance. According to him, one set of dinner meetings was held to ensure Siddaramaiah continued as Chief Minister, while another was allegedly aimed at removing him. This controversy must be brought to an end, he said.
At the same time, Vatal Nagaraj strongly defended Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, describing him as a mature, experienced, and progressive thinker with a strong political background. He said Siddaramaiah stands out as one of the most seasoned leaders not only in Karnataka but also compared to neighbouring states.