NEW DELHI:Days after breaking down in a party meeting over coalition government, Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Wednesday said that ally Congress has given him a “free hand” to run the government and it was people with some personal agenda who are spreading rumors about problem in the coalition. Excerpts follow...
Is there a trouble brewing in the Coalition?
There is no problem in the coalition alignment, some sections are saying this but that is not correct. What is painful for me is that the way in which a section of society, including media, is unnecessary spreading misleading news to masses. I am doing good work, why they are not accepting that. This is my tension; otherwise coalition government is running very successfully. Even in a government run by a single party, there will be people who won’t be happy and this is a coalition government.
You got very emotional at party meeting?
I am a very emotional man and I am human being. Whenever something goes wrong, some kind of emotional breakdown happens. In my lifetime, several times this has happened. In my party workers meeting, I spoke what was inside my heart as they are my family and I was speaking to my people. I expressed my feelings from the heart. Human beings have their own sentiment and it is not easy to breakdown and if that sentiment is inside then you breakdown. These people who criticize me do not have human sentiments. The poison I mentioned was not meant to be Congress or coalition; it was the pain I have for people not letting me work. I am swallowing poison of one section of society who is not happy that I have become the Chief Minister.
Former CM Siddaramaiah has been writing to you, and some Congress leaders have criticised your style of functioning?
By writing, he has given me advice about how to run the show. I am responding to it and it is not a big deal. Some people will criticise because of their personal agenda. That’s not a big issue.
With reports of problem in coalition, BJP still hopes to form a government?
This government will stay for 5 years and it will be a stable government which will give good governance to people of Karnataka. Even Congress party’s intention is that to allow the government to function irrespective of efforts by few to create a problem.
The opposition efforts to form a coalition for 2019 Lok Sabha elections?
Country needs an alliance like this for 2019 election as people need alternate government. Citizens have tasted NDA’s regime and people are disappointed and unhappy with the central government functioning. It is the need of the hour to have such coalition. In fact the Karnataka arrangement will have influence in 2019 and will help in national politics. This will help to form a new set up in national politics. From Karnataka alone, we (JD(S)-Congress) plan to win 20-25 seats in Lok Sabha elections in 2019. In 2014, on 28 Lok Sabha seats in the state, the Congress and JD (S) together were ahead of the BJP.
Farm Loan waiver announced by you is expected to put extra burden on the state?
I have decided (on farm loan waiver) keeping financial discipline in mind. I am well prepared how I have to go for the loan waiver and I know the situation in the state. There will be no financial irregularities and we have surplus budget.