LoP Ashoka stops accepting rent allowance over denial of preferred official quarters

Karnataka Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka has stopped accepting rent allowance from April 2026, protesting the state government's failure to allot him an official quarters of his preference.

Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly R Ashoka has written to the Chief Secretary stating that he has stopped accepting rent allowance from April 2026, as a mark of protest, because the state government has not yet allotted him an official quarters of his preference.

He even said that he had raised the issue four times.

The development comes as the Congress government in Karnataka led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah completed three years in office on May 20.

''As soon as I took office as the Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, letters were written to allot government quarters as per my preference request. But till now, my preferred government quarters have not been allotted,'' Ashoka said in a letter to Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh, dated May 21.

Stating that he had informed the government that if his preferred government housing is not allotted, he will not even receive house rent allowance in the future, he said, ''Since the request of the Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly has not been responded to, I am protesting without taking house rent allowance from April 2026.''.

Sharing details of his preferred government quarters, Ashoka further said, ''I hereby strongly request that any of the mentioned government quarters of my preference be allotted as designated quarters to the Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly.''.

He had sought any one of three quarters -- 1 Kumara Park East, 1 Race View Cottage or 2 Race View Cottage -- as his preference for official residence.

According to reports, Ashoka even raised this issue and expressed displeasure before CM Siddaramaiah and his senior ministerial colleagues recently.