Archive · 7 Sep 2026
JD(S) MLA Protests Gurmitkal, Yadgir Exclusion From Drought List
Sharanagouda Kandakur is an elected representative from Gurmitkal.
He says Gurmitkal and Yadgir are suffering because of too little rain.
Karnataka’s first two drought lists did not include the two taluks.
So, he held a protest outside the state legislature in Bengaluru.
He wore black clothes and held signs about the problems faced by farmers.
He asked the government to declare both places drought-hit and provide help.
Kandakur said officials had told him the areas might be included in a third list.
He also said the exclusion might be politically motivated, although the articles do not give a detailed government response.
The Janata Dal (Secular) supported his protest on social media.
JD(S) MLA Sharanagouda Kandakur staged a lone protest in Bengaluru over Gurmitkal and Yadgir’s exclusion from Karnataka’s first two drought lists.
Kandakur demanded that both taluks be immediately declared drought-hit and that relief measures begin for distressed farmers.
He said Gurmitkal was facing drought despite not appearing on either list, while placards highlighted farmers’ problems caused by deficient rainfall.
Kandakur alleged that drought declarations favored constituencies represented by BJP-JD(S) members and questioned whether drought affected only Congress constituencies.
He said he was assured the regions could be included in a third list, boycotted a district Karnataka Development Programme meeting, and warned of further action.
- Who
- Janata Dal (Secular) MLA Sharanagouda Kandakur, who represents the Gurmitkal Assembly seat.
- What
- He staged a lone protest demanding that Gurmitkal and Yadgir be included in Karnataka’s drought-hit list and receive relief measures.
- When
- Monday; the articles do not specify the date.
- Where
- In front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue at Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru.
- Why
- Kandakur says the two taluks face drought, deficient rainfall, and farmer distress despite being excluded from the first two lists.
Kandakur’s position
Karnataka government’s position
Whether the taluks should be declared drought-hit
Kandakur’s position
Kandakur says Gurmitkal and Yadgir are facing drought and farmer distress and should immediately be added to the drought-hit list.
Karnataka government’s position
The government’s first two lists excluded the taluks. The articles do not provide a detailed explanation from the government for that decision.
Relief for farmers
Kandakur’s position
Kandakur demanded that relief measures begin to address the severe distress farmers are facing because of deficient rainfall.
Karnataka government’s position
The articles do not report a government response on whether relief measures will be provided to the two taluks.
Possible political bias
Kandakur’s position
Kandakur alleged that the exclusion could target him politically and said drought declarations favored constituencies represented by BJP-JD(S) members.
Karnataka government’s position
No government response addressing the allegation of political motivation is included in the articles.
- Protester
- Sharanagouda Kandakur, Janata Dal (Secular) MLA
- Excluded taluks
- Gurmitkal and Yadgir
- Government lists
- The two taluks were excluded from Karnataka’s first and second drought-hit lists; one report referred to a list covering 101 taluks.
- Demand
- Immediate drought-hit status and relief measures for the two taluks
- Expected action
- Kandakur said he was assured Gurmitkal and Yadgir could be included in a third list.
- Additional protest
- He said he boycotted a district Karnataka Development Programme meeting.
- Political support
- Janata Dal (Secular) leadership expressed support for Kandakur’s protest on social media.
