CET issue: Kumaraswamy helpless

Hubli, May 7 (UNI) Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy today expressed helplessness in relation to the confusion over the Common Entrance Test (CET) for professional courses in the State.

Talking to newspersons at the airport here, he said institutions such as the Medical Council of India and the Supreme Court have given certain directions on the issue and the Government was doing its best to comply with them.

To a question, he said he could only appeal to the Delimitation Commission not to reduce the number of constituencies, but the final say was with the Commission. ''Definitely, I shall bring the opposition of voters to the unscientific way of delimitation of constituencies to the notice of the Commission,'' he added.

On the allegation of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President Mallikarjuna Kharge that the coalition Government was copying the programmes of the Congress, Mr Kumaraswamy said he had made it clear during the no-confidence motion that the seniors should guide the Government with their experience. Good progammes were being implemented, he added.

To another question, the Chief Minister said there would be no celebration on completion of 100 days of the JD(S)-BJP coalition Government. The Government's new programmes for education, farmers and women had been announced in the budget itself. ''We shall certainly celebrate after completion of 40 months (when the JD(S)' tenure would end).'' Later, inaugurating a massive convention of Uppar community at the Jawaharlal Nehru ground here, he assured to consider their demand to include them in the list of Scheduled Castes.

UNI MNP GD SB KN1950