BJP MLA S Suresh Kumar wrote to outgoing CM Siddaramaiah seeking an explanation for Rs 5,000 crore meant for Gruha Lakshmi beneficiaries.
The legislator alleged that eligible families did not receive their scheduled payments for the months of February and March 2025.
Suresh Kumar highlighted that Siddaramaiah, as Finance Minister, had direct oversight of the state treasury and public tax collections.
BJP MLA S Suresh Kumar on Saturday wrote a letter to outgoing Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah demanding an explanation regarding the fate of Rs 5,000 crore allegedly meant for Gruha Lakshmi scheme beneficiaries.
According to the Press Trust of India, payments intended for eligible families for February and March 2025 have yet to reach them. Suresh Kumar urged Siddaramaiah to clear the dues and pay the beneficiaries before demitting office.
In his letter, the Rajajinagar MLA emphasised that Siddaramaiah served as both Chief Minister and Finance Minister, giving him direct oversight of the state treasury and the responsibility for clarifying the matter and accounting for public funds collected through taxes.
The correspondence highlights the unresolved financial discrepancy, setting the stage for further demands for accountability over the flagship welfare programme. Suresh Kumar said that the failure to deliver the money to beneficiaries could not be treated as a minor lapse, given the substantial amount involved.
Demand for accountability
Suresh Kumar stressed that Siddaramaiah bears both the financial and moral responsibility to account for public funds collected through taxes.
"As the person who had complete control over the state treasury, it is your responsibility to inform the people of the state about the status of the Gruha Lakshmi payments for February and March 2025 that were meant to reach the beneficiaries. This is a question of the moral responsibility of any government," Suresh Kumar said.
"Even today, the citizens of the state do not know where this huge sum of money went or who received it," he said.
"I urge you to discharge that responsibility honestly and provide the people of the state with a clear explanation regarding the fate of this enormous amount of public money," Suresh Kumar said.
Assembly protests and background
The issue was first raised in the Assembly by BJP legislator Mahesh Tenginakai during the winter session at Belagavi's Suvarna Soudha on Dec. 9, 2025. According to PTI, Suresh Kumar said that five months have passed since the matter was brought up, yet it remains unanswered.
"He alleged that the Gruha Lakshmi payments for February and March 2025 had not reached families in the state. The total amount involved was Rs 5,000 crore," Suresh Kumar said, referring to Tenginakai's initial remarks.
A minister in the Siddaramaiah Cabinet initially said the payments had been made. However, Tenginakai subsequently produced documentary evidence in the House showing otherwise and sought a formal explanation from the government.
According to PTI, the Gruha Lakshmi guarantee offers Rs 2,000 to 1.26 crore women who are heads of families belonging to the Below Poverty Line demographic. The non-payment of these funds led to an uproarious scene during the Belagavi session. The opposition BJP and its ally eventually staged a walkout in protest on Dec. 17.
