Opposition BJP on Monday regretted that Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala's address to the joint session of the legislature was mum on the farm loan waiver by the JD-S-Congress coalition government.
"The governor's maiden address to the 15th newly constituted assembly has disappointed thousands of farmers across the state as they were hoping for an assurance on the farm loan waiver in it," said BJP's state unit president and opposition leader BS Yeddyruappa in a statement.
Terming the Governor's address a bundle of lies and false claims of the coalition government, Yeddyurappa said the tone of the speech indicated that Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy was doubtful of his survival owing to huge discontentment in the Congress on supporting the JD-S, which won only 36 seats in the May 12 assembly election.
In the 225-member hung assembly, including one nominated, BJP has 105 seats and Congress 79, with two seats vacant and one each with BSP and KPVP.
Defending the Governor's address, a JD-S official told IANS that the Chief Minister would announce the farm loan waiver on July 5 when he presents the state budget for fiscal 2018-19 along with other welfare schemes and programmes.
"As farm loan waiver is a part of the budget proposals, the Governor's address cannot not have such policy decisions. It is the Chief Minister's prerogative to declare on the floor of the house as part of his budget speech," said the party official, preferring anonymity.
On the BJP's other charge that Vala's speech did not have the programmes and policies of the previous Congress government, the official said the Governor was addressing the joint session of the new coalition government.
"Where is the need for the Governor to refer to the previous government's welfare schemes or programmes as he was addressing the new government, in which the Congress is an alliance partner," asserted the JD-S official.
"Vala's address indicated that the present government has no respect for the Congress supporting the JD-S-led government," tweeted Yeddyurappa.
"The formation of the post-poll unholy alliance is a mockery of the people's mandate at the hustings. The people have been a mute witness to the power- hungry ministers lobbying for portfolios with a crippled Chief Minister, said another tweet from Yeddyurappa.
Noting that an unstable government was a clear sign of failed attempts to diffuse the crisis, Yeddyurappa said as a responsible opposition, the BP would stand by the people and expose the corruption of the coalition government.