DAVANAGERE: Launching a scathing attack on CM Siddaramaiah, Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Sunday said that the State Government takes credit for schemes implemented by the Union Government. Speaking to reporters in Davanagere, Kumaraswamy called Siddaramaiah “Kanna Ramaiah and not Anna Ramaiah”. The former CM said that free rice for BPL cardholders is given by the Centre and not State Government.
“I have seen CM Siddaramaiah, Deputy CM DK Shivakumar and AICC General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala speak about this. They are saying that the Congress government has given the rice... but it comes from the Centre,” he said. “To build 15 lakh homes, there is a need for Rs 28,000 crore. However, the present government has granted Rs 2,000 crore,” he further hit out at the State Government.
He praised PM Narendra Modi for his handling of the LPG crisis amid the West Asia war. “The Congress is blaming the Centre and the PM. Our PM has cordial relationships with various countries, and LPG and crude oil is reaching our shores from the Strait of Hormuz. The PM has taken various countries into confidence,” Kumaraswamy said.
Challenging the CM to build a regional party and win, Kumaraswamy said, “With the help of our workers, we won 40 seats last time. You speak about Deve Gowda’s family politics, then what is your son doing? Did you bring him for transfer politics?” he questioned.
He said that the CM and the Congress are constantly at loggerheads with the Centre. “When this is the case, what development are you going to bring to the state? You said that Karnataka is in second place in the country in terms of GDP. So what is the need for implementing the guarantees in a wealthy state?” he asked.
He said that all ministers in the state are campaigning for Congress candidates, leaving the administration in the lurch. “Vidhana Soudha is completely empty. Apart from the five guarantees, the CM has no other achievement to show to the voters. The government is yet to take off,” he added.