Will quit if I can’t waive farm loans: CM H D Kumaraswamy

Says it will take at least a week to take a decision after consultation with alliance partner Congress.
Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy pays tributes to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru on the occasion of his 54th death anniversary at Vidhana Soudha on Sunday | Express
Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy pays tributes to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru on the occasion of his 54th death anniversary at Vidhana Soudha on Sunday | Express

BENGALURU: Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Sunday said he will resign from his post if his government fails to deliver on farm loan waiver. Speaking to reporters at Vidhana Soudha, Kumaraswamy claimed that he was at the mercy of Congress since his was a coalition government and any decision will be taken only after consultation with the alliance partner.

“It has just been a few days since I took oath as the CM and I am at the mercy of Congress. Farm loan waiver will take some time, at least a week, since it needs to be discussed with my coalition partners. If I cannot fulfil my promise on the waiver, I will quit from the CM’s post,” Kumaraswamy said. For the first time, he claimed publicly that the Congress-JD(S) coalition was sparring over select portfolios. “They (Congress) want finance ministry. We are still discussing who gets what. It is common that disagreements take place, but we will arrive at a common ground,” Kumaraswamy said. 

His statement over farm loan waiver comes at a time when BJP has called for a statewide bandh — a call that farmer unions are not keen to back. Farmer leader Kodihalli Chandrashekhar told The New Indian Express they were not supporting the bandh, as it was a decision taken by BJP leaders, without consulting the farmer community. “We are meeting in Bengaluru on May 31 and a decision will be taken.

We have nothing against Yeddyurappa, but since this is a coalition government, we think Kumaraswamy should be given some time. If loans are not waived, then we will ask farmers not to repay loans. We will see how the government recovers the money,” The JD(S), in its manifesto, had promised to waive farm loans within hours of coming to power. The Congress had made no such promises in its manifesto. With a Congress-JD(S) coalition, parties are struggling to decide on ministries and portfolios, leave alone farm loan waiver. “A decision on the waiver can be taken after cabinet expansion,” he said.

Kumaraswamy to pay courtesy call on Modi today
Bengaluru: Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Monday. The “courtesy call”, as Kumaraswamy put it, will be first such meeting between the two leaders after the CM took oath. “There should be cordial relations between the central and state governments for progressive development. I am meeting the Prime Minister to convey my gratitude for his wishes and will request for his cooperation to Karnataka,” Kumaraswamy said on Sunday. Kumaraswamy will also meet Union Minister for Coal Piyush Goyal.

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