Likha jo kath tujhe: Siddaramaiah dashes off another letter to HDK

Bengaluru, Aug 7: Continuing with his letter writing spree, former chief minister Siddaramaiah has shot off another missive to chief minister HD Kumaraswamy, asking him to reconsider shifting the film city from Mysuru to Ramanagara.

Siddaramaiah, who is the chairman of the Congress-JD(S) coalition coordination committee, has so far written four letters to Kumaraswamy on a host of issues, including the one to reconsider the budget announcement to increase fuel prices.

In the letter, he asked the chief minister to reconsider the budget announcement to shift the film city to Ramanagara, Kumaraswamy's assembly segment, and take steps to set it up in Mysuru, Siddaramaiah's home district.

Pointing out that it has been the dream and demand ofthe Kannada film industry for a film city to be set up in Mysuru, the CLP leader described the 'palace city' as the most sought after destination by film producers not only from Kannada, but also from the Hindi, Tamil and Telugu film industries.

Since 1945, film shooting had been taking place in Mysuru, he noted as he recalled contributions of studios like 'Navajyoti' and 'Premier', which produced talented actors and technicians.

"Kannada thespian late Dr Rajkumar had dreamed about the film city in Mysuru, realising which the previous Congress government decided to set up a film city in the city and approved hundred acres of land for this purpose.

"An official announcement was also made in the budget," Siddaramaiah said in his letter dated July 31.

"But you have announced in the budget to shift the film city to Ramanagara. Considering all these factors, I request you to reconsider this decision and take necessary steps to set up the film city in Mysuru," he added.

Siddaramaiah's letters are seen as an attempt by him to prove his hold over the coalition government.

In what is described as "letter politics",JD(S) chief HD Deve Gowda used to write letters to the then Congress-JD(S) coalition government headed by Congress' Dharm Singh with Siddaramaiah as deputy chief minister.

Siddaramaiah's letter to the chief minister has come despite the reported suggestion of newly appointed Pradesh Congress chief Dinesh Gundu Rao to him to talk about the issues in coordination committee meetings, rather than writing letters.

Meanwhile, not wishing to comment, water resources minister DK Shivakumar said, "what had to be passed in the budget has been passed, it is out of my department to comment."

When it was pointed out he was Ramanagara district in-charge minister, he said "I'm minister for the entire state ... I don't want to comment or talk about it."