BENGALURU
Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge on Friday launched a sharp attack on Governors appointed in several states, alleging that Raj Bhavans were increasingly being used as political extensions of the BJP and the RSS.
Speaking at his Bengaluru residence, Kharge alleged that the Governor’s office had functioned like a BJP office for years and was now being misused as an RSS office. Referring to the ongoing political developments in Tamil Nadu, he criticised Governors for allegedly interfering in democratic processes and obstructing government formation despite elected parties staking claim.
Kharge said the Governor had no authority to demand proof of majority outside the Assembly and insisted that majority should only be tested on the floor of the House. “How can signatures be demanded beforehand? The Constitution is supreme and nobody is above it,” he said.
The minister further referred to political developments in states such as West Bengal and Maharashtra, alleging misuse of constitutional offices for political purposes. He questioned the manner in which governments were formed in some states and criticised what he termed selective standards adopted by Governors.
Kharge also reacted strongly to the controversy surrounding the shifting of IPL matches from Bengaluru. He alleged that the matches were moved to Gujarat for profit motives and not due to security concerns. Referring to demands for match tickets by political leaders, he claimed legislators and MPs had merely requested tickets respectfully and denied allegations of undue pressure.
He further questioned why the matches were shifted specifically to Gujarat instead of other cities like Mumbai. “If security was really the issue, how were several matches held earlier in Bengaluru without problems?” he asked.
The minister also criticised the Centre over the proposed changes linked to MGNREGA, stating that the Union Government had failed to properly consult states before introducing the new law. According to him, the absence of clarity regarding funding, implementation and panchayat-level execution had created uncertainty in rural areas.
Kharge said even leaders from allied parties had raised concerns regarding fund allocation. “This is a federal system. States should have been consulted before such decisions were taken,” he said, accusing the Centre of neglecting rural livelihoods and creating hardship for poor families dependent on employment guarantee schemes.
