BENGALURU: Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Monday alleged the administrative machinery in the State had collapsed during the Congress-JDS rule and his priority was to bring it back on track.
Moving the confidence motion in the Assembly to prove the majority of his three-day-old ministry, Yediyurappa said he would not indulge in "politics of vengeance" as he believed in the "forget and forgive principle".
"My becoming the chief minister is according to expectations of the people," said Yediyurappa who succeeded H D Kumaraswamy whose 14-month old government collapsed under the weight of a rebellion by a section of the coalition MLAs.
Yediyurappa said he assumed office in a difficult situation with the state facing drought. "The administrative machinery has collapsed. my priority is to bring it back on track," he said.
He also said, "I will not indulge in politics of vengeance. I believe in the forget and forgive principle".
Yediyurappa also sought cooperation of the Opposition. Congress Legislature Party leader Siddaramaiah said the Yediyurappa government was "unconstitutional and immoral" and expressed doubts about its longevity.
"You have no mandate of the people," Siddaramaiah told Yediyurappa. "Where is the mandate in your favour. where is the majority. Yediyurappa has become the chief minister with just 105 members," Siddaramaiah said.
"Let us see how long you will be (the chief minister). I want you to be (CM) for the full term but I don't think you will be able to complete it (the term)," Siddaramaiah told Yediyurappa.
JDS leader H D Kumaraswamy took exception to Yediyurappa's charge that the administrative machinery had collapsed and said it was a "baseless" one that did not behove the chief minister.
"I won't comment on the ways you have come to power," Kumaraswamy said, adding, "you have come to power through conspiracy".
He asked the chief minister to reveal how the administrative machinery had collasped.