BJP blames Centre for fertiliser shortage in K'taka

Bangalore, June 27 (UNI) The UPA Government at the Centre should be blamed for the present crisis arising out of shortage in supply of fertilisers across the country, including in Karnataka, Bharatiya Janata Party Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu said today.

Addressing newspersons here, he said the failure on the part of the Union Government to make a timely announcement on fertiliser policy had led to the crisis in all the States.

Mr Naidu said the shortage of fertilisers, for which farmers were on an agitation in the State, was not only confined to Karnataka, but also prevalent in almost all the States, including Kerala, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat.

He said there was a shortage of over 60 per cent of fertilisers in Congress-ruled Maharashtra, while police opened fire on agitating farmers in Andhra Pradesh.

Stating that the Centre should own responsibility for the shortage, Mr Naidu suggested that the Congress leaders in Karnataka stage a dharna in front of the residences of party President Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

He defended Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa's threat to hold such a protest in New Delhi on the issue.

Accusing the Congress leaders in Karnataka of having resorted to 'cheap tricks' in their bid to 'pin down' the BJP Government, which came to power only recently, he said ''if the Congress leaders have any real concern for the farming community, they should exert pressure on the Union Government.'' UNI MV RS GD RL AS1535