HUBBALLI: Siddaramaiah, the leader of the opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, has urged the Central Government to oust the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra Government on the grounds that Maharashtra is infringing on Karnataka's sovereignty.

Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday, Siddaramaiah said "It is unacceptable that the Maharashtra government is enacting a health insurance programme for residents of 865 bordering Karnataka villages. Both the union system and state sovereignty are in danger. The state government there should be dismissed right away by the central government ".

Basavraj Bommai, the chief minister of Karnataka, was further called upon by Siddaramaiah to resign, claiming he had failed in his responsibility to uphold the state. "Furthermore, Chief Minister Bommai has failed to defend the state's and Kannadigas' interests. He lacks the authority to be Chief Minister for even a brief period. I urge that he resign "  he  said.

The Karnataka government should not keep silent over border disputes with the Maharashtra government, Siddaramaiah said.  "The Mahajan Commission's report on the border region has been accepted by the Karnataka government. Maharashtra continues to bring up the subject, nevertheless. No space should be given up by our state. Our right is to preserve our land-water borders. There should be no silence from the Karnataka administration ", he said.

Bommai, the chief minister of Karnataka, had earlier declared that not a single inch of land will be given to Maharashtra.

Notably, the State Reorganization Act of 1956's adoption was the catalyst for the border dispute between Maharashtra and Karnataka. The then-Maharashtra government had urged the readjustment of its border with Karnataka. After this, a 4-member panel was formed by both states.

The government of Maharashtra had expressed willingness to transfer 260 predominantly Kannada-speaking villages, however, the proposal was turned down by Karnataka. Both governments later approached the Supreme Court to speed up the matter.

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