Former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, on Thursday, said his aim was not to do any “adjustment politics” by winning 30 or 40 seats but to save the poor people whom the BJP was ‘bulldozing’ in the name of removing unauthorised constructions. He was speaking at the Janata Dal (Secular) party’s Janata Jaladhare rally in Hassan.
Mr. Kumaraswamy said Congress leaders often accuse him of engaging in “adjustment politics”. “But we never did so. We never went to other parties begging for their support. In fact, they came to our doorsteps. Now the BJP is bulldozing shops and houses belonging to poor people in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. Some BJP leaders want the State Government to replicate it here in Karnataka. My fight is to save poor people from such attempts”, he said.
‘Will dissolve JD(S)‘
The former Chief Minister said he was committed to his promise of completing pending irrigation projects if the party comes to power independently. “Similarly, we are promising quality education, health services and employment to youths, among others. If we fail to fulfil these promises within five years of rule, I will dissolve the JD(S)”, he said.
During his rule in the JD(S)-Congress coalition government, Mr.Kumaraswamy said, he waived farm loans to the tune of ₹ 25,000 crore. “As the JD(S) had not come to power on its own, I would have refused to fulfil my promise. There was pressure from the Congress partner not to cut funds for the programmes they had launched. Despite all these difficulties I did waive farm loans. But, people of the State did not remember it at the time of voting.”
Referring to the Congress party’s protests against corruption, Mr. Kumaraswamy said Congress was no better either. The party was corrupt when it ruled the State. “The Arkavathi Layout scam alone involved hundreds of crores of rupees. In the present government, corruption was not limited to 40% as commission. In some cases, people in power took commission up to 65%. But, so far no contractor could point fingers at the JD(S) for demanding commission during our rule. We never took commission to issue work orders”, he said.
Mr.Kumaraswamy was in tears when he recalled the incidents of 2006 when he formed the government with the BJP. “That was the one decision I took against his (Deve Gowda, his father) wish. He was hospitalised. Yet, people commented that father and son were doing drama. The Congress party leaders term the JD(S) B-team of the BJP though we supported the Congress twice.”
‘Lack of unity’
Former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda opined that the lack of unity among people’s representatives had been responsible for grave injustice to the State in river disputes. The State Government had been confident of getting clearance for the Mekedatu project. “But it is not so simple. In Tamil Nadu elected representatives always exhibit unity on such issues, keeping aside differences. There is no such situation in Karnataka. When I stand up to talk on the issue in Rajya Sabha members from Tamil Nadu oppose”, he said.
He also expressed unhappiness over the ambition of elected representatives. “I had to wait for 22 years after becoming an MLA to become a Minister. But now people want to become a Minister and Chief Minister soon after getting elected”, he opined.
Mr. Deve Gowda said his party had been taking out Janata Jaladhare rallies to seek public support for completing all the pending projects of the State. “The party is committed to fulfil our promise to people.”
Party’s State president C.M. Ibrahim, hitting out at Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah for his “B-team” comment, said in the elections held in 2018, the BJP could win 24 seats because the minorities voted for the Congress. He also wanted to know who was responsible for bringing down the Kumaraswamy-led coalition government and installing B.S.Yediyurappa in his place.
Former Ministers H.D. Revanna, H.K. Kumaraswamy’ JD(S) MLAs C.N.Balakrishna, K.S.Lingesh; Lok Sabha member Prajwal Revanna; Suraj Revanna, MLC, and others were present. Arsikere MLA K.M.Shivalinge Gowda and Arkalgud MLA A.T. Ramaswamy were absent.
