Mangaluru: BJP Dakshina Kannada district president Satish Kumpala on Saturday accused chief minister DK Shivakumar-led Congress govt of financial mismanagement, administrative paralysis and anti-people policies, announcing protests at nearly 250 locations across the district till Nov 15.Addressing a news conference, Kumpala said demonstrations would be held under the campaign ‘Namma Hakkigagi Namma Hejje’ across gram panchayats, town municipalities and city corporation limits. BJP workers and local representatives will undertake a 1km padayatra followed by demonstrations.He alleged that gram panchayats were dependent on funds from the Centre under the 15th and 16th Finance Commissions, while the state govt had failed to release routine development grants. This had left rural local bodies struggling to pay salaries, maintain offices and carry out emergency repairs, he claimed.Kumpala also flagged unannounced load shedding in Sullia, Puttur, Belthangady and Bantwal, alleging that students and farmers were suffering due to disruptions in electricity and water supply.Criticising the implementation of guarantee schemes, he claimed that the Rs 2,000 monthly Gruha Lakshmi assistance had remained suspended for months and that income criteria and bureaucratic screening had excluded beneficiaries. He also alleged that old-age, disability and widow pensions had been stopped, drinking water taxes increased, Basava Vasathi housing schemes stalled and BPL ration cards cancelled, affecting access to Ayushman healthcare benefits.Citing server failures, a shortage of surveyors and restrictions involving single-site 9/11 and 11E sketches, Kumpala alleged that routine revenue services had become difficult and encouraged middlemen.He accused leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi of attempting to create unrest over EVMs and the special intensive revision (SIR) by raising vote-theft allegations, questioning Congress’s objections to Election Commission in view of its victories in Karnataka and Kerala.He also said that the ‘Prajatantra Bachao’ outreach programme from Nov 5 to 30 will be led locally by MLC Kishore Kumar Puttur. It will include intellectual interactions, youth conclaves and padayatras.Separately, Kumpala demanded an impartial probe into the alleged sting operation controversy, which is also linked to Congress ticket distribution in Puttur. He said the allegations had been raised by minister Yathindra Siddaramaiah, and sought an investigation into whether similar operations occurred in other constituencies in Dakshina Kannada.Kumpala accused the Congress govt of misusing state machinery to target BJP legislators, specifically naming Mangaluru City South MLA Vedavyas Kamath and Mangaluru City North MLA Y Bharath Shetty. He alleged that false cases and administrative intimidation were being used to silence opposition voices, warning that the BJP would mobilise public resistance against what it termed political vendetta.
