'Cong dream of K'taka Govt collapsing a dream'

Mangalore, June 16: Asserting that there was no threat to the JD(S)-BJP coalition Government over the controversial Bangalore- Mysore Infrastructure Corridor project, the Bharatiya Janata Party in Karnataka today said the Opposition Congress' dream of the Government collapsing over the issue will never come true.

Addressing a press conference here, BJP State President D V Sadananda Gowda said the party's mantra was development and hence the expressway should not be stopped. Any steps taken in this regard should not send wrong signals to the investors.

''The coalition partners will come to the negotiating table and arrive at a decision on the issue and see to it that farmers were not put to hardship,'' he added.

On the JD(S) suggestion that the excess land acquired by the project executors, Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise, be taken back and sold so that the proceeds could be used for developmental works in the State, he said the BJP was of the view that the excess land should be recovered and handed over to the farmers from whom it was acquired. However, the issue would be discussed at the Coordination Committee meeting.

Mr Gowda suggested that a high-level committee be formed by the Government, comprising experts, Ministers and officials concerned, to go into the details including land requirement for any project in the State. This would also be taken up for discussion at the Coordination Committee meeting.

Contrary to Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa's stand that he was neither invited nor wanted to attend the inaugural of the first phase of the project today, he said ''if there had been an invitation, I would have attended the function in the interest of development of the State.''

UNI

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