Vijayendra accuses Karnataka Congress government of spending ₹473 crore on publicity

In a strongly worded statement, Vijayendra alleged that the government was spending more than ₹43 lakh every day on publicity and self-promotion instead of prioritising development and public welfare. He questioned the rationale behind such expenditure at a time when several sections of society were reportedly facing economic and administrative difficulties.

"Development zero, publicity hero" was the slogan used by the BJP leader to attack the government's functioning. He alleged that the Congress government had perfected the art of publicity while failing to deliver on its promises.

Listing issues confronting the state, Vijayendra pointed to rising milk prices, increases in bus fares and the cost of electricity and other essential services. He also raised concerns over the difficulties faced by farmers amid uncertainty, drought and financial distress, and the employment challenges confronting young people.

The BJP leader further criticised the condition of Bengaluru's roads, alleging that the government had failed to maintain basic urban infrastructure. He also highlighted the pending payments of contractors, claiming that those who had completed government works were still waiting for their legitimate dues.

Vijayendra questioned the implementation of the Congress government's guarantee schemes, which had been a major part of the party's electoral campaign. He alleged that the schemes were facing financial and implementation challenges and accused the government of focusing more on publicising its promises than addressing concerns over their delivery.

Contrasting the government's approach to development expenditure and advertising, he said that financial constraints were frequently cited when development works were discussed, while substantial funds appeared to be available for publicity.

"The people are not asking for the Chief Minister's photograph on every newspaper page. They are asking for better roads, affordable living, employment for their children, timely payments to contractors and genuine support for farmers," Vijayendra said.

He maintained that governments should be judged by improvements in people's quality of life rather than the volume of advertisements they release. Public money, he argued, should be spent on public welfare rather than political self-promotion.

Summing up his criticism, Vijayendra described the Congress government's model of governance as one marked by publicity without performance, promises without delivery and a lack of accountability.

The ₹473-crore advertisement expenditure cited by Vijayendra and the allegations regarding development and implementation of welfare schemes are part of the BJP leader's criticism of the state government. The government's response to these specific allegations was not included in his statement.