Karnataka BJP expressed dissatisfaction with the State Budget, accusing it of betraying the people, especially Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, criticized Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s 2026–27 Budget for failing to provide justice to marginalized groups. Narayanaswamy highlighted that out of the total allocations of Rs 1,56,701 crore in four years, only Rs 25,291 crore remained for welfare programs for SCs and STs.
The Opposition leader claimed that a significant portion of the allocated funds, Rs 78,350 crore, had been diverted to departments like Public Works and Irrigation. He further alleged that from the remaining amount, Rs 53,059 crore had been utilized for the government’s guarantee schemes. Narayanaswamy pointed out that despite allocating Rs 52,000 crore for guarantee schemes, an additional Rs 14,000 crore was taken from SC and ST funds, raising questions about the utilization of these funds.
In the 2025–26 Budget, specific allocations were made for various development corporations benefiting marginalized communities. However, Narayanaswamy stated that the full disbursement of these funds had not occurred, with less than Rs 50 crore reaching the Ambedkar Development Corporation. He urged Congress leaders to address these concerns and accused the government of deceiving Dalits.
