Bengaluru, July 30 -- Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly R Ashoka, along with a BJP drought study team, staged a protest sitting with farmers in a pigeon pea field at Karekal village in Ballari taluk on Thursday, alleging that farmers were facing severe distress due to deficient rainfall and that the state government was not taking the situation seriously.

As part of its statewide drought assessment, the BJP team visited Sidaginamola and Karekal villages in Ballari district. The members inspected pigeon pea crops that are drying up due to lack of rain, held direct discussions with farmers, gathered details about crop losses, and sought information from officials on the ground situation.

Speaking on the occasion, R Ashoka sai...