Siddaramaiah Blames BJP for 'Misinformation' on Urea Shortage in Karnataka

Mandya

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday accused the BJP of "misinformation" on urea, and pointed fingers at the saffron party-led government at the Centre for inadequate supplies.

Noting that he had written to the union government demanding immediate supply of fertilizer to the state, citing increase in acreage under sowing due to early monsoon, he urged the BJP leaders to speak to the union minister and ensure supplies, instead of holding agitation.

Speaking at a mega convention organised by the Karnataka government in Maddur of Mandya district, where development works were inaugurated and foundation stones were laid, the CM asserted that the Congress will come back to power in the state in the 2028 Assembly polls.

"The BJP indulges in misinformation...there is no shortage of fertilizers, but the central government has not been able to supply the required quantity of fertilizers," Siddaramaiah said.

He said the Centre should have supplied 6, 80,655 MT of urea to the state, but they had supplied only 5, 16,959 MT.

"I have written to the Centre. This time, the monsoon started early. Farmers have increased sowing acreage for which fertilizer is required and I have urged the Centre to supply," he added.

The BJP Kisan Morcha (farmers' wing) on Monday began its week-long statewide protest accusing the state government of creating "artificial shortage" of urea in various parts of Karnataka because of its "mismanagement", which has led to "panic" among farmers. The party also alleged brokers and traders of holding stocks.

Accusing the BJP of using the urea shortage issue for politics, the CM said, "Should we learn a lesson from BJP or B Y Vijayendra (state BJP President)? When his father B S Yediyurappa was the Chief Minister, as fertilizers and seeds were not supplied on time, farmers had held protests, which led to Golibar, killing two farmers. They (BJP) should be ashamed. They had in the past killed two farmers."