Budget date to be announced soon, says Karnataka CM
Davanagere: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday stated that the date for the state budget for the fiscal year 2026-27 will be announced soon.
CM Siddaramaiah is all set to present the Karnataka budget, his 17th overall, making him the longest-serving Finance Minister and CM to present budgets.
The 2026-27 budget will be Siddaramaiah’s 17th, a record for any Finance Minister in Karnataka. The CM has already started holding preparatory meetings with various government departments.
He was speaking to the media at the helipad inside the Sri Maharshi Valmiki Gurpeeth premises here.
The Chief Minister said preparations for the State Budget were underway and that the date for its presentation would be announced soon. He further said that there has been a demand for the establishment of a tribal university in the State and that the government would examine the proposal and take a decision.
The announcement has assumed significance politically. According to Congress insiders, this announcement serves as a strong signal of Siddaramaiah’s intention to complete his full term as Chief Minister, countering rumours of a leadership change.
Responding to media queries on the Metro fare hike, the Chief Minister said that Metro fares are fixed by the Metro chairman appointed by the Central government and that the State government has no role in the decision.
When asked about reports of Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar travelling to Delhi to discuss the Metro fare issue, he said the media should seek a response from Shivakumar himself.
The Chief Minister alleged that the agreement between India and the United States (US) would be unfair to farmers and claimed that the Prime Minister had bowed to pressure from the US.
Responding to demands for a ministerial berth for members of the Valmiki community, Siddaramaiah said no ministers had been removed from the Cabinet and that resignations had occurred due to unavoidable circumstances. He said the issue would be considered during the next Cabinet expansion.
Responding to a query on whether Minister S.S. Mallikarjun had submitted his resignation to the Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah said the claim was far from the truth.
Meanwhile, taking to social media X, CM Siddaramaiah stated, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence in the Lok Sabha during the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address is an act of cowardice. For the first time in India’s parliamentary history, this motion was passed without the Prime Minister replying. A Prime Minister who avoids Parliament avoids accountability.”
“What makes this episode even more disturbing is that the government first silenced the Opposition and then chose silence itself. Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition, was not allowed to complete his speech when he raised serious national security concerns and sought to place on record excerpts from an article based on the book by former Army Chief General M.M. Naravane,” the CM stated.
With questions left unanswered, the Prime Minister chose not to appear in the Lok Sabha at all, CM Siddaramaiah charged.
“The partisan conduct of Speaker Om Birla, who justified this unprecedented departure from parliamentary convention, has further damaged the dignity of the Lok Sabha. The Speaker is meant to defend Parliament, not act as a shield for the executive,” he said.
