Karnataka's Leader of the Opposition (LoP) R Ashoka has slammed Assembly Speaker UT Khader, saying that the latter has "completely failed" to conduct the House properly. The LoP alleged that the Speaker has been denying opportunities for the BJP members to raise their voices on the issue of tribal welfare board "scam".

"This precedent does not bring honour to the Assembly or the Speaker," he added. Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Ashoka claimed that the Speaker forced BJP members to sit down when they stood up for speaking over the "scam" in the Assembly. "The Assembly has never been conducted in such a way in the history of Karnataka, and the Speaker has completely failed to conduct the Assembly properly," he said.

Ashoka further claimed that the suicide of Chandrasekaran P, a superintendent of the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation (KMVSTDC), due to the "scam" is a "state-sponsored murder by the Congress government". "The Enforcement Directorate's press release clearly states that Rs 187 crore was looted by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and ministers and used for the election," the LoP said.

Accusing the state government of conspiring to cover up the scam, Ashoka said that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah "should have resigned for his involvement in this scam but (he) did not, nor did he hand over the investigation to the CBI".