BENGALURU: Cold war and colder jibes seem to be the norm between Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and coordination committee Chief Siddaramaiah. While taking no names, a clearly angry Kumaraswamy on Monday lashed out at Siddaramaiah for his comments on the need for a fresh budget and farm loan waiver. “I am not indebted to anyone. This seat (Chief Minister’s post) hasn’t been given to me in alms,” Kumaraswamy said during a meeting on farm loan waiver with representatives of cooperative banks.
The statement is a complete U-turn from Kumaraswamy’s previous stance about being at the Congress’ mercy. The coalition partners are yet to arrive at an agreement on the farm loan waiver, which was JD(S)’ top promise in its election manifesto. Siddaramaiah, who is currently in Dharmasthala for a treatment, was caught on tape disapproving of the loan waiver plan and questioning the need for a fresh budget.
“I don’t know whether I will present a budget or not. Discussions are being held about presenting it after Parliamentary elections. But about 100 legislators from the previous government have lost their seats and new people have been elected. Their requests need to be accommodated,” Kumaraswamy said clearly in response to Siddaramaiah’s suggestion to continue with the budget presented by him for 2018-19.
Not the one to mince words, Kumaraswamy said “unlike others” he believed in working together in goodwill.
“I don’t shout or bully like others to get work done. I believe in working together as a family,” he said. “People are speaking about how this government will last only till the Lok Sabha elections. I am in the know of it. I will make an honest decision for the budget,” Kumaraswamy said.
Kumaraswamy’s statements on Monday were a clear display of his disappointment with Siddaramaiah making the cold war conspicuous. “The loan waiver should benefit the farmers. I am not getting a commission out of this. Middlemen and banks should not stand to benefit,” he said in an attempt to justify the waiver. The evident cold war comes as an embarrassment to the Congress-JD(S) government that is yet to draw up its common minimum programme and make appointments to boards and corporations.