Karnataka CM Calls for Meeting with PM Over Sugarcane Crisis and Drought

At Mysuru airport on Sunday, Karnataka’s chief minister D.K. Shivakumar told reporters that he had formally requested a sit‑down with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The purpose? To lay out the mounting challenges faced by the state’s sugarcane growers and the relentless drought that has battered crops across the region.

Shivakumar said he hoped opposition leaders, who earlier signaled willingness to join a joint delegation, would honour that promise. “We need a united front, not partisan wrangling,” he remarked, adding a note of impatience that the political game not be used to stall relief.

Addressing the ongoing agitation by sugarcane farmers, the CM appealed directly to them: “I have spoken to you personally. Please consider pulling back the protest and let us resolve this through dialogue.” He warned against turning a farmer‑centred issue into a political football, insisting that his government would not indulge in blame‑shifting.

When asked whether Karnataka would chip in financially to support the sugarcane purchase price, Shivakumar replied that the matter was on the table. “Our state has diverse categories of farmers; every stakeholder’s concern must be weighed,” he said, signalling a willingness to discuss shared funding if required.

He concluded by emphasizing that the welfare of farmers is the administration’s top priority. “The livelihood of our cultivators is not just a line item; it’s the backbone of Karnataka’s economy,” he asserted, before reiterating the need for a prompt audience with the prime minister.