Wed Mar 12 16:09:56 UTC 2025: ## Karnataka Opposition Withdraws Protest After CM’s Assurance
**Bengaluru, March 12, 2025** – The BJP and Janata Dal (S) in Karnataka have ended their protest over the payment of honorariums to Congress workers involved in the implementation of the state government’s five guarantee schemes. The protest, which included a dharna in the Legislative Assembly and a petition to the Governor, concluded after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah promised to address the concerns of the opposition legislators.
The opposition parties had accused the Congress government of misusing taxpayer money by paying salaries and sitting fees to Congress functionaries overseeing the guarantee schemes. They estimated the annual cost of these payments to be ₹30 crore and demanded the dissolution of the committees responsible for implementing the schemes.
Following a meeting, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah assured the protesting members that a meeting would be convened after the budget session to discuss their concerns. He further guaranteed that no actions would be taken to curtail their rights and privileges. This assurance prompted the BJP and JD(S) to withdraw their protest. The opposition had earlier submitted a memorandum to Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot urging him to dissolve the committees, citing their illegality.
First Piper 