Dharam Singh denies Gowda met Sonia

Bangalore, Mar 2 (UNI) Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly N Dharam Singh today termed ''speculation'', reports that the Congress was trying to destabilise the JD(S)-BJP coalition Government following a meeting between Janata Dal (Secular) President H D Deve Gowda and his party chief Sonia Gandhi.

Speaking to newspersons here, he said Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy's remarks in this regard were totally baseless. No such meeting was held between the two leaders, he clarified.

Mr Singh said that if the JD(S) wanted to transfer power to the BJP after 20 months as per their agreement, it was free to do so and the Congress had nothing to do with it.

On the Government's decision to punish those who indulged in land grabbing, he said the list of encroachers should be released immediately and the Government should punish them, irrespective of their party affiliation.

Mr Singh felt the State budget would have no sanctity if Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, who also held the Finance portfolio, went on announcing measures such as ban on arrack sale and waiver of cooperative farm loans in public well before the budget was tabled on the floor of the Assembly.

He said the Government had spent only 38 per cent of the funds allocated in last year's budget. Various projects, including the World Bank-aided development projects of North Karnataka involving Rs 100 crore, were yet to take off, he criticised.

UNI