BJP State president B.Y. Vijayendra

Stating that the Congress government led by new Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar was gripped by dissidence, with Minister Ramalinga Reddy resigning within two days of being sworn in, the BJP has urged the Chief Minister to dissolve the Assembly and seek a fresh mandate.Speaking to presspersons in Bengaluru on Friday, BJP State president B.Y. Vijayendra said it was better to seek a fresh mandate instead of running a “rickety dispensation.”Pointing out that Mr. Shivakumar has announced that elections to urban and rural local bodies, besides for corporations under the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), will be held in four to five months, he suggested that elections to the Assembly too should be held along with them.He said, “The new Chief Minister has not begun his innings well. Mr. Reddy has resigned after expressing his displeasure in public. Two more senior Ministers, including K.H. Muniyappa, too are not happy. Former Minister H.K. Patil has said this is a warning bell to the new government. This is a telling comment on the state of affairs of the new government.”Launching an attack on the Congress regime, he said, “The Congress government’s performance during the past three years was abysmally poor. No miracle can take place during the next two years. The present Cabinet is old wine in an old bottle with a new label. Inefficiency, corruption, maladministration and politics of minority appeasement are bound to continue.”He maintained that people are waiting for the first available opportunity to ‘dump’ the Congress government irrespective of who heads the regime.Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly R. Ashok accused Mr. Shivakumar of breaking promises made to his party colleagues. “Mr. Shivakumar had promised to provide Bengaluru City Development portfolio to Mr. Reddy. He had also promised to make senior leader Satish Jarkiholi the KPCC president. But he has gone back on his word.” Published - June 05, 2026 08:53 pm IST