The Congress party has long been accused of prioritizing luxury over governance, and recent events in Telangana and Karnataka reinforce this perception. Whether it’s extravagant meals for state leaders or lavish comforts for legislators, the party seems more focused on indulgence than on addressing pressing public concerns. Take Telangana, where Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and his colleagues reportedly dined on meals costing Rs 32,000 per plate while visiting the revered Mallikarjuna Swamy temple in Vemulawada. A news report claimed the bill ballooned to Rs 1.7 crore and was passed from the Chief Minister’s Office to the temple trust and then to the district collector. Regardless of who ultimately foots the bill, the real question remains: Should taxpayers or temple donations be funding such opulence? What message does it send when leaders, who pledged to uplift the people, feast in luxury while many in the state struggle to afford a square meal?
The situation in Karnataka is no different. The state government, which has already admitted its financial struggles in implementing electoral promises, is now contemplating luxury upgrades for legislators. Speaker U.T. Khader has proposed smart locks for MLAs’ rooms at the Legislators’ House, a move expected to cost Rs 3 crore. But the real controversy erupted when he floated the idea of installing massage chairs and recliners in the assembly hall, ostensibly to ensure legislators’ comfort. The BJP rightfully criticized this extravagance, arguing that when thousands of Karnataka’s citizens face economic hardships, spending taxpayer money on indulgences for politicians is an insult to public sentiment. The contrast between Congress-led states and the new BJP-led Delhi government under Chief Minister Rekha Gupta is stark. Gupta has already made a strong statement on fiscal responsibility by rejecting wasteful spending. In a symbolic yet powerful move, she ensured that a single bouquet was circulated among party colleagues to congratulate her, emphasizing her commitment to cutting down on unnecessary expenses. She also vowed to expose the financial mismanagement of her predecessor, taking steps to table crucial reports on the Sheesh Mahal controversy, the Rs 2,000 crore liquor policy scam, and the upcoming revelations on the Mohalla Clinics. Her actions send a clear signal: public money is meant for public welfare, not political indulgence. The pattern is clear—while Congress governments in Telangana and Karnataka struggle to fund their own welfare schemes due to financial mismanagement, their leaders remain preoccupied with luxury. On the other hand, a BJP government in Delhi is setting an example of fiscal prudence and accountability. The people must decide: do they want leaders who prioritize governance or those who prioritize their own comfort? The answer should be obvious.
