BAGALKOT/BELAGAVI : Holding the previous BJP government in Karnataka and the present NDA government at the Centre responsible for delaying land acquisition and issuance of gazette notification for the completion of the Upper Krishna Project-III, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday said it is his government that has taken significant decisions in land acquisition.
Addressing a public rally in Nayanegila village of Bagalkot constituency ahead of the April 9 bypolls, he said that it has been 13 years since the Krishna Water Tribunal order was delivered. “Yet, the Centre has not issued a gazette notification. The notification will help increase the height of Almatti dam and use the water allocated to Karnataka for irrigation. But the Centre, despite having no hurdles, is not issuing the notification,” he added.
“It was the Congress government led by me as CM that took a historic decision of consent award where Rs 40 lakh per acre for irrigated and Rs 30 lakh for dry land was announced. The decision was taken after holding two rounds of meetings with the leaders of the farmers’ union and present and former MLAs of the region. It is the action taken by the Congress while the BJP kept the matter pending,” the CM added.
Earlier campaigning for Umesh Meti, the Congress candidate and son of deceased MLA HY Meti, Siddaramaiah exuded confidence that the former will also win the election like his father. “The State Government still has two years of tenure. People of Bagalkot should send Umesh to the Assembly to raise their voice and take up development works like his father,” he said.
Bagalkot still a Cong bastion, says Satish Jarkiholi
Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi asserted that Bagalkot remains a Congress stronghold and dismissed allegations of internal collusion with the BJP, saying the party is confident of winning the bypoll with a comfortable margin.
“Bagalkot has been a Congress bastion, and our candidate has won here four times. Campaigning by Basanagouda Patil Yatnal or any other
BJP leader has nothing to do with us,” Satish said in Belagavi, adding that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will campaign for four days to ensure victory for the Congress nominee Umesh Meti.
Responding to remarks by state BJP president BY Vijayendra, the minister said no Congress leader is supporting BJP candidates. He termed Vijayendra’s allegation of a secret understanding between Congress leaders and BJP as politically motivated and laughable.
Satish hit back at the BJP, saying the party should first set its own house in order.
He also rejected Vijayendra’s claim that the Congress fears defeat and that the Chief Minister’s campaign reflects nervousness.
On whether the campaign in Bagalkot between him and BJP leader B Sriramulu was shaping up as a ‘Valmiki versus Valmiki’ contest, Satish clarified that the election was not between individuals or communities but between two political parties with differing ideologies.