<h1>National finance minister accuses state ruling party of using regional rhetoric to dodge graft, caste violence, women's crimes, drug crisis</h1> A senior national finance minister accused the ruling state party of raising emotive language and regional-identity issues to deflect from corruption, caste-based violence, crimes against women and rising drug abuse in the state, calling such rhetoric separatist. She criticized alleged ministerial graft, family dominance of the party, spurious-liquor deaths affecting Scheduled Castes, and questioned local prosecutions in a high-profile sexual-violence case, while asserting the central government's development projects bolster its position. She predicted the national ruling party's alliance will challenge the state ruling coalition in upcoming assembly elections.