Lamenting that successive Chief Ministers in Karnataka were focusing on development of the respective regions from which they hailed, former Minister and BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal said he would ensure the development of the length and breadth of the State if he was made the Chief Minister.
Speaking to reporters in Mysuru on Saturday, Mr. Yatnal said a Chief Minister should work for the entire State. Unfortunately, successive CMs were restricting development work to the respective regions they were hailing from. “If the Chief Minister is from Mysuru, he will work for Mysuru region. If the CM is from Shivamogga, all projects like airport and funds will be invested in Shivamogga. If CM is from Haveri, he will work only for Haveri. This is not how a CM should function,” he lamented. A CM should ensure equitable development across the length and breadth of the country, focusing on the region from from ‘Mekedatu to Upper Krishna Project’ in the north Karnataka without any discrimination.
He also assured to remove corruption, if not completely, at least quite substantially, if he was made CM.
Mr. Yatnal also said that party’s Central leadership had decided that Basavaraj Bommai, who had become CM only six months ago, will continue for the rest of the term. He said he expected Mr. Bommai to do well in the remainder of the term.
To questions on the proposed Cabinet expansion, Mr. Yatnal said he was not in the race for a Ministerial berth. “I have never asked for a Ministerial berth. I will not go Delhi. There is no need for me to lobby to become a Minister. Former Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee had made me a Minister as I was capable and deserving,” he said while clarifying that he had not sought for a Ministerial berth during former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa’s tenure nor during the present regime.
The Cabinet expansion should be carried out, keeping in mind the interests of the party. He said several senior experienced Ministers should be given organisational responsibilities. He also expressed hope that the regions that have not been represented in the Cabinet like Mysuru, Chamarajanagar, Vijayapura, Kalburgi, Raichur, Yadgir, etc., should be given representation in the proposed expansion.
Also, he emphasised the need for an early expansion so that the new Ministers would get atleast one year in the post and added that there was no need to carry out an expansion when there is barely six months left for the term.
