Not averse to farm loan waiver says H D Kumaraswamy
In the backdrop of the BJP calling for a Karnataka bandh, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy has said that there was no question on going back on farm loan waiver. He said that he had already spoken with the Congress on this issue and he would understand the financial situation before taking such a call.
Kumaraswamy hit out at state BJP leader B S Yeddyurappa for his call to support the party's state-wide bandh call on Monday for the alleged failure of the government in announcing farm loan waiver as promised by him earlier.
"I'm
with
you
(people).
I
don't
have
any
personal
wish.
I
have
become
the
chief
minister
not
with
a
selfish
motive...,"
he
said,
noting
that
there
was
"no
question"
of
going
back
on
his
announcement
earlier
on
farm
loan
waiver.
He
said
he
had
already
spoken
to
Congress
leaders
on
the
issue
of
farm
loan
waiver
as
he
had
to
take
them
into
confidence.
"I
should
also
understand
the
financial
situation
before
taking
the
decision.
I
cannot
do
it
alone,"
he
added.
On
the
portfolio
allocation,
he
said
there
are
some
"issues"
on
portfolio
allocation
with
his
party's
coalition
partner
Congress
but
it
is
not
something
that
will
pull
down
the
government.
He also said the expansion of his Cabinet would take place once state Congress leaders get an approval from their high command.
"..Portfolios have not been allocated. There are some issues regarding portfolios, but it is not an issue that will pull down the government...," Kumaraswamy told reporters here.
Responding to questions on portfolio allocation and demand for a farm loan waiver, he said, "I will try not to take up an issue as a prestige issue and try to solve a problem.. Otherwise I will see. I will not stick to this post, leaving my self-esteem."
Parleys began between the Congress and the JD(S) on the issue of Cabinet expansion soon after Kumaraswamy proved his three-day-old government's majority on the floor of the Assembly yesterday.
Karnataka
Congress
leaders
today
left
for
New
Delhi
by
a
chartered
plane
to
discuss
with
the
high
command
the
issues
relating
to
Cabinet
expansion
and
portfolio
allocation.
According
to
sources,
Kumaraswamy
had
met
former
chief
minister
and
Congress
Legislature
Party
(CLP)
leader
Siddaramaiah,
Deputy
Chief
Minister
Parameshwara
and
Congress
general
secretary
in-charge
of
Karnataka
K
C
Venugopal
before
they
left
for
Delhi.
The chief minister also clarified that he would not be going to Delhi to meet Congress president Rahul Gandhi and his mother Sonia Gandhi.
"State Congress leaders have to get approval from their central leadership, that's the reason they are going to Delhi today. Once they come back cabinet expansion will happen smoothly," he said.
It has already been decided that Congress would have 22 ministers and JDS 12 in the new cabinet.